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Lucretia Rudolph Garfield (April 19, 1832 – March 14, 1918) was the First Lady of the United States from March to September 1881, as the wife of James A. Garfield, the 20th President of the United States.
Born in Garrettsville, Ohio, Garfield first met her husband in 1849 at Geauga Seminary.[1] After a long courtship, they married in 1858. They would eventually have seven children together, five of whom lived to adulthood. Highly educated and intellectually curious, Garfield was well attuned to the internal machinations of the Republican Party, which proved to be of great aid to her husband's political career. She was well regarded during her brief period in the White House, but after only a few months contracted malaria and went to Long Branch, New Jersey, to recuperate.
In July 1881, James Garfield was shot and mortally wounded by Charles Guiteau. He lingered for two and half months before dying, during which his wife stayed at his bedside and received much public sympathy. Lucretia Garfield returned to her former residence in Ohio after being widowed, living in what is now the James A. Garfield National Historic Site. She spent much of the rest of her life preserving her husband's papers and other materials, establishing what was effectively the first presidential library.
Born in Garrettsville, Ohio, Garfield first met her husband in 1849 at Geauga Seminary.[1] After a long courtship, they married in 1858. They would eventually have seven children together, five of whom lived to adulthood. Highly educated and intellectually curious, Garfield was well attuned to the internal machinations of the Republican Party, which proved to be of great aid to her husband's political career. She was well regarded during her brief period in the White House, but after only a few months contracted malaria and went to Long Branch, New Jersey, to recuperate.
In July 1881, James Garfield was shot and mortally wounded by Charles Guiteau. He lingered for two and half months before dying, during which his wife stayed at his bedside and received much public sympathy. Lucretia Garfield returned to her former residence in Ohio after being widowed, living in what is now the James A. Garfield National Historic Site. She spent much of the rest of her life preserving her husband's papers and other materials, establishing what was effectively the first presidential library.
Lucretia Garfield - Wikipedia
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Thank you Maj Marty Hogan for letting us know that April 19 is the anniversary of the birth of First Lady of the United States Lucretia Rudolph Garfield who was the wife of 20th President of the United States James A. Garfield who served the shortest time as POTUS because he was assassinated on July 2, 1881 after being inaugurated on Friday, March 4, 1881.
The Garfields had seven children. Two died in early childhood: Eliza Arabella "Trot" Garfield (1860–1863) and Edward Garfield (1874–1876). Four sons and a daughter lived to maturity:
Harry Augustus Garfield (1863–1942) – lawyer, educator, public official.
James Rudolph Garfield (1865–1950) – lawyer, public official.
Mary "Mollie" Garfield Stanley-Brown (1867–1947). Educated at private schools in Cleveland and Connecticut, she in 1888 married Joseph Stanley Brown,[3] presidential secretary during Garfield's term, later an investment banker. She lived in New York and Pasadena, California.
Irvin McDowell Garfield (1870–1951) – lawyer. He followed his older brothers to Williams College and Columbia Law School. He settled in Boston, where he prospered as partner in the firm of Warren & Garfield and served on the boards of directors of several corporations.
Abram Garfield (1872–1958) – architect. A graduate of Williams College and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he settled in Cleveland, where he worked as an architect from offices in the James A. Garfield Building. He served as chairman of the Cleveland Planning Commission 1929–1942 and was active in the American Institute of Architects.
Rest in peace Lucretia Rudolph Garfield.
Image: The Garfield children - Harry Augustus Garfield; James Rudolph Garfield; Mary "Mollie" Garfield; Irvin McDowell Garfield; Abram Garfield
Background from [https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/first-ladies/lucretia-rudolph-garfield/]
"Lucretia Rudolph-Garfield served as First Lady of the United States in 1881 until the assassination of her husband, President James A. Garfield.
In the fond eyes of her husband, President James A. Garfield, Lucretia “grows up to every new emergency with fine tact and faultless taste.” She proved this in the eyes of the nation, though she was always a reserved, self-contained woman. She flatly refused to pose for a campaign photograph, and much preferred a literary circle or informal party to a state reception.
Her love of learning she acquired from her father, Zeb Rudolph, a leading citizen of Hiram, Ohio, and devout member of the Disciples of Christ. She first met “Jim” Garfield when both attended a nearby school, and they renewed their friendship in 1851 as students at the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute, founded by the Disciples.
But “Crete” did not attract his special attention until December 1853, when he began a rather cautious courtship, and they did not marry until November 1858, when he was well launched on his career as a teacher. His service in the Union Army from 1861 to 1863 kept them apart; their first child, a daughter, died in 1863. But after his first lonely winter in Washington as a freshman Representative, the family remained together. With a home in the capital as well as one in Ohio they enjoyed a happy domestic life. A two-year-old son died in 1876, but five children grew up healthy and promising; with the passage of time, Lucretia became more and more her husband’s companion.
In Washington they shared intellectual interests with congenial friends; she went with him to meetings of a locally celebrated literary society. They read together, made social calls together, dined with each other and traveled in company until by 1880 they were as nearly inseparable as his career permitted.
Garfield’s election to the Presidency brought a cheerful family to the White House in 1881. Though Mrs. Garfield was not particularly interested in a First Lady’s social duties, she was deeply conscientious and her genuine hospitality made her dinners and twice-weekly receptions enjoyable. At the age of 49 she was still a slender, graceful little woman with clear dark eyes, her brown hair beginning to show traces of silver.
In May she fell gravely ill, apparently from malaria and nervous exhaustion, to her husband’s profound distress. “When you are sick,” he had written her seven years earlier, “I am like the inhabitants of countries visited by earthquakes.” She was still a convalescent, at a seaside resort in New Jersey, when he was shot by a demented assassin on July 2. She returned to Washington by special train–“frail, fatigued, desperate,” reported an eyewitness at the White House, “but firm and quiet and full of purpose to save.”
During the three months her husband fought for his life, her grief, devotion, and fortitude won the respect and sympathy of the country. In September, after his death, the bereaved family went home to their farm in Ohio. For another 36 years she led a strictly private but busy and comfortable life, active in preserving the records of her husband’s career. She died on March 14, 1918."
First Lady Biography: Lucretia Garfield
This series provides biographies of all the First Ladies of the United States, as if spoken by each of them in their own words. This project was completed for the Girl Scout Gold Award
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6c8z1X6YB8
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Orlando Illi Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. "Bill" Price CPT Jack Durish Capt Tom Brown MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SGT (Join to see) Sgt Albert Castro SSG David Andrews Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. CPL Dave Hoover SGT Mark Halmrast SPC Margaret Higgins SrA Christopher Wright
The Garfields had seven children. Two died in early childhood: Eliza Arabella "Trot" Garfield (1860–1863) and Edward Garfield (1874–1876). Four sons and a daughter lived to maturity:
Harry Augustus Garfield (1863–1942) – lawyer, educator, public official.
James Rudolph Garfield (1865–1950) – lawyer, public official.
Mary "Mollie" Garfield Stanley-Brown (1867–1947). Educated at private schools in Cleveland and Connecticut, she in 1888 married Joseph Stanley Brown,[3] presidential secretary during Garfield's term, later an investment banker. She lived in New York and Pasadena, California.
Irvin McDowell Garfield (1870–1951) – lawyer. He followed his older brothers to Williams College and Columbia Law School. He settled in Boston, where he prospered as partner in the firm of Warren & Garfield and served on the boards of directors of several corporations.
Abram Garfield (1872–1958) – architect. A graduate of Williams College and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he settled in Cleveland, where he worked as an architect from offices in the James A. Garfield Building. He served as chairman of the Cleveland Planning Commission 1929–1942 and was active in the American Institute of Architects.
Rest in peace Lucretia Rudolph Garfield.
Image: The Garfield children - Harry Augustus Garfield; James Rudolph Garfield; Mary "Mollie" Garfield; Irvin McDowell Garfield; Abram Garfield
Background from [https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/first-ladies/lucretia-rudolph-garfield/]
"Lucretia Rudolph-Garfield served as First Lady of the United States in 1881 until the assassination of her husband, President James A. Garfield.
In the fond eyes of her husband, President James A. Garfield, Lucretia “grows up to every new emergency with fine tact and faultless taste.” She proved this in the eyes of the nation, though she was always a reserved, self-contained woman. She flatly refused to pose for a campaign photograph, and much preferred a literary circle or informal party to a state reception.
Her love of learning she acquired from her father, Zeb Rudolph, a leading citizen of Hiram, Ohio, and devout member of the Disciples of Christ. She first met “Jim” Garfield when both attended a nearby school, and they renewed their friendship in 1851 as students at the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute, founded by the Disciples.
But “Crete” did not attract his special attention until December 1853, when he began a rather cautious courtship, and they did not marry until November 1858, when he was well launched on his career as a teacher. His service in the Union Army from 1861 to 1863 kept them apart; their first child, a daughter, died in 1863. But after his first lonely winter in Washington as a freshman Representative, the family remained together. With a home in the capital as well as one in Ohio they enjoyed a happy domestic life. A two-year-old son died in 1876, but five children grew up healthy and promising; with the passage of time, Lucretia became more and more her husband’s companion.
In Washington they shared intellectual interests with congenial friends; she went with him to meetings of a locally celebrated literary society. They read together, made social calls together, dined with each other and traveled in company until by 1880 they were as nearly inseparable as his career permitted.
Garfield’s election to the Presidency brought a cheerful family to the White House in 1881. Though Mrs. Garfield was not particularly interested in a First Lady’s social duties, she was deeply conscientious and her genuine hospitality made her dinners and twice-weekly receptions enjoyable. At the age of 49 she was still a slender, graceful little woman with clear dark eyes, her brown hair beginning to show traces of silver.
In May she fell gravely ill, apparently from malaria and nervous exhaustion, to her husband’s profound distress. “When you are sick,” he had written her seven years earlier, “I am like the inhabitants of countries visited by earthquakes.” She was still a convalescent, at a seaside resort in New Jersey, when he was shot by a demented assassin on July 2. She returned to Washington by special train–“frail, fatigued, desperate,” reported an eyewitness at the White House, “but firm and quiet and full of purpose to save.”
During the three months her husband fought for his life, her grief, devotion, and fortitude won the respect and sympathy of the country. In September, after his death, the bereaved family went home to their farm in Ohio. For another 36 years she led a strictly private but busy and comfortable life, active in preserving the records of her husband’s career. She died on March 14, 1918."
First Lady Biography: Lucretia Garfield
This series provides biographies of all the First Ladies of the United States, as if spoken by each of them in their own words. This project was completed for the Girl Scout Gold Award
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6c8z1X6YB8
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Orlando Illi Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. "Bill" Price CPT Jack Durish Capt Tom Brown MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SGT (Join to see) Sgt Albert Castro SSG David Andrews Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. CPL Dave Hoover SGT Mark Halmrast SPC Margaret Higgins SrA Christopher Wright
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It seems due to being shot and not recovering President Garfield was the shortest serving President ever. It was interesting hearing of Mrs Garfield and Her preserving His legacy.
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