James A. Garfield

BIRTH NAME
James Abram Garfield

POLITICAL PARTY
Republican

RELIGION
Disciples of Christ

EDUCATION
Hiram College, Williams College B.A. 1856; Read law with Albert Gallatin Riddle

VITALS
6 ft 0 in / 184 lbs

CAREER
1860-61 State Senator, Ohio
1861 Colonel, then brigadier general, 42nd Ohio Infantry
1862-63 Chief of staff, Major General William S. Rosecrans
1863 Promoted to major general
1863-80 U.S. Representative, Ohio
1880 Elected to U.S. Senate

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
November 2, 1880
Popular: Garfield 4,446,158 (48%) Winfield Scott Hancock 4,444,260 (48%)
Electoral: Garfield 214 Hancock 155

VICE PRESIDENT
Chester A. Arthur (1881)

SUPREME COURT APPOINTMENT
Stanley Matthews

FIRST LADY
Lucretia Rudolph (1881)

“The chief duty of government is to keep the peace and stand out of the sunshine of the people.”
Letter to H.N. Eldridge, December 12, 1869

Portrait of James Garfield by Calvin Curtis, 1881.