James A. Garfield 1831 – 1881

Biography

James A. Garfield was born on November 19, 1831, in Moreland Hills, beginning a life that would lead him to the highest office in the nation. His journey from this modest Ohio beginning to the presidency reflected the possibilities of his era, and he carried the hopes of many Americans who looked to him for leadership during a critical period in the country’s history.

On September 19, 1881, Garfield’s life was cut short by a gunshot wound, an act that shocked the nation and deeply affected those who knew him. His death marked a tragic turning point in American history, leaving unfinished the work he had begun as president during that fateful year of 1881.

Garfield was laid to rest at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio, where he remains among those he called home. Though his time in office was brief, his legacy endured in the memory of a nation that mourned the loss of a leader taken too soon.