This uncommon cabinet card features a photographic portrait of the 20th President of the United States, James Garfield (1831-1881). He was elected in 1880 after previously serving nine terms in the House of Representatives. Two hundred days into his Presidency, he was assassinated. He was the last log cabin President. He was very anti corruption and improved the image of the Presidency post reconstruction. He was born in Ohio and lost his father when he was two years old. He grew up and worked driving canal boat teams. He earned enough money to attend and graduate from Williams College in Massachusetts. He then went to work as a professor at Western Reserve Eclectic Institute. He was a classics professor. After a year of teaching, he was made President of the college. IN 1859 he was elected to the Ohio Senate. He was in the Republican party. During the time of secession, he proposed the seceding states be coerced back into the Union. He joined the Union side in the Civil War he led a brigade to victory over the Condederate troops at a battle at Middle Creek, Kentucky. By the time Garfield was 31, he became a Brigadier General. He was late promoted to Major General. In 1862 Garfield was elected to Congress. After serving for 18 years he became the leading Republican in the House. In 1880 he unsuccessfully supported John Sherman for the Presidential nomination. Ironically, after 36 ballots, Garfield recieved the nomination. It was a close election but Garfield defeated the Democrat, General Winfield Scott Hancock. In 1881, Garfield while at a railroad station, Garfield was assassinated by an attorney who was vengeful because he had failed to obtain a consular post from the Garfield administration. Garfield hung on to life for weeks until he finally succumbed to his wounds. SOLD
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 
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