James Abram Garfield

(1831-1881) Civil War general, U.S. Representative, 20th President of the United States

Before becoming President, James Garfield was successful as professor, college president, Civil War general, and U.S. Congressman. He spoke and wrote well, read widely, and even composed poetry. He loved to entertain his friends by writing Greek with one hand and at the same time writing Latin with the other.

Chronology of His Life and Career
November 19, 1831	Born in Orange, Ohio.
1856	Graduated from Williams College.
1857	Named president of the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute (now Hiram College).
November 11, 1858	Married Lucretia Rudolph.
1859	Elected to the Ohio State Senate.
1862	Became the youngest Brigadier General in the Union Army.
1862	Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
1876	Served on the commission that settled the Hayes-Tilden presidential election.
1880	Elected to the U.S. Senate.
1880	Elected President of the United States.
July 2, 1881	Shot by Charles Guiteau.
September 19, 1881	Died in Elberon, New Jersey.

At one time in 1880, Garfield actually held three federal government positions at the same time. He was serving in the U.S. House of Representatives when the Ohio Senate elected him to the U.S. Senate; before he could take his Senate seat, however, he was elected President of the United States.