James Abram Garfield, The 20th President of the United States, is one of two presidents that hail from Northeast Ohio (the other is William McKinley). Garfield was born in 1831 in Orange Township, in what is not Moreland Hills, Ohio. He was shot just four months after taking office in 1881, and died two months later (many contemporary scholars maintain that he died as a result of poor medical care.)
Prior to his presidency, Garfield served in the 42nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War and was elected to the US House of Representatives from Ohio's 19th District (1863-1881).
Garfield's Ohio connections are many. He attended the Western Reserve Electric Institute (later renamed Hiram College). He graduated from Williams College in Massachusetts, but returned to Western Reserve Electric Institute to teach classical languages and serve as principal of the Institute. The Garfields purchase an estate, dubbed "Lawnfield," in Mentor, Ohio. The property now welcomes the public as the James A. Garfield Historic Site.
Garfield was returned to Cleveland after his death and lies beside his wife, daughter, and son-in-law in the Garfield Monument at Lake View Cemetery. The Garfields had seven children and many relatives of the president still reside in Northeast Ohio.
Prior to his presidency, Garfield served in the 42nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War and was elected to the US House of Representatives from Ohio's 19th District (1863-1881).
Garfield's Ohio connections are many. He attended the Western Reserve Electric Institute (later renamed Hiram College). He graduated from Williams College in Massachusetts, but returned to Western Reserve Electric Institute to teach classical languages and serve as principal of the Institute. The Garfields purchase an estate, dubbed "Lawnfield," in Mentor, Ohio. The property now welcomes the public as the James A. Garfield Historic Site.
Garfield was returned to Cleveland after his death and lies beside his wife, daughter, and son-in-law in the Garfield Monument at Lake View Cemetery. The Garfields had seven children and many relatives of the president still reside in Northeast Ohio.