James A. Garfield 20th US President 1881

James A. Garfield 1831- 1881

20th US President 1881

First Lady Lucretia Rudolph

Vice President Chester A. Arthur

At the 1880 Republican Convention, Garfield failed to win the Presidential nomination for his friend John Sherman. Finally, on the 36th ballot, Garfield himself became the "dark horse" nominee.


James A. Garfield won the Republican's support while the party was divided between various groups. The Stalwarts and the Half-Breeds bitterly split the party and Garfield won with the support of the half-breeds.
By a margin of only 10,000 popular votes, Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee, Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock.
Garfield returned the favor by installing Half-Breeds to important government jobs. In 1881 Garfield was shot by a Stalwart and died from the resulting blood poisoning.

James A. Garfield quotes:


All free governments are managed by the combined wisdom and folly of the people.
James A. Garfield

Few men in our history have ever obtained the Presidency by planning to obtain it.
James A. Garfield

He who controls the money supply of a nation controls the nation.
James A. Garfield

I am a poor hater.
James A. Garfield

I am trying to do two things: dare to be a radical and not a fool, which is a matter of no small difficulty.
James A. Garfield

I have had many troubles in my life, but the worst of them never came.
James A. Garfield

I love to deal with doctrines and events. The contests of men about men I greatly dislike.
James A. Garfield