James A. Garfield
#8,423 Most Popular
About
The 20th U.S. President whose presidency lasted only 200 days and ended with his assassination by Charles J. Guiteau.
Before Fame
He had dreams of being a seaman, so he left home at 16 to become a canal driver.
Trivia
He served nine consecutive terms in the House of Representatives representing Ohio's 19th district.
Family Life
His father passed away when he was 17 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza Ballou, to raise him alone.
Associated With
He was visiting Wall Street when Abraham Lincoln was assassinated and was prompted to give a speech to a rioting crowd in an effort to calm them down.
