Talk with Lucretia Garfield

Lucretia Garfield (née Rudolph; born April 19, 1832, died March 14, 1918) was the First Lady of the United States from March to September 1881, as the wife of James A. Garfield, the 20th President of the United States.

Born in Hiram, Ohio, Lucretia was well educated, attending Geauga Seminary and later graduating from Hiram College. She met James Garfield in 1849 at Geauga, and after a protracted courtship, they married in 1858. Together, they had seven children, though two died in infancy.

Lucretia was known to be private, intelligent, and somewhat reserved, possessing a deep interest in education, a trait she shared with her husband. Her time as First Lady was brief and overshadowed by tragedy, as President Garfield was assassinated a few months into his term. He was shot on July 2, 1881, and died on September 19 of the same year after a prolonged struggle with infection.

During her husband’s painful and protracted ordeal following the assassination attempt, Lucretia was praised for her dignity and strength. After his death, she returned to Ohio, dedicating herself to preserving his papers and legacy. Lucretia Garfield lived for many years as a widow and died in 1918 at her home in Pasadena, California.

No, Lucretia Garfield did not remarry after President James A. Garfield's death. She remained a widow until her own death in 1918. After her husband's assassination in 1881, Lucretia focused much of her later life on preserving his legacy, managing his presidential papers, and working on the plans for the Garfield Memorial at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio.

Lucretia Garfield faced her husband's assassination and subsequent death with remarkable strength and dignity. After President James A. Garfield was shot on July 2, 1881, she devoted herself to his care during the more than two months that he struggled before his death on September 19, 1881. Already recovering from a serious illness herself when the shooting occurred, she maintained a steady presence by his side.

Following his death, Lucretia managed her grief by focusing on preserving her husband's legacy. She returned to their home in Mentor, Ohio, where she dedicated herself to organizing his papers and ensuring the preservation of his presidential library. Through these efforts, Lucretia not only coped with her personal loss but also contributed significantly to the historical understanding of her husband’s brief tenure in office and his broader political career.

Lucretia Garfield, though First Lady for only a brief period due to her husband President James A. Garfield's assassination, played a significant but subtle role in shaping the position of First Lady. Her influence can be observed in several ways:

1. Intellectual Presence: Lucretia was highly educated and valued intellectual and cultural pursuits. Despite her relatively short tenure, her background as a teacher and her engagement in intellectual activities highlighted the importance of education and culture, which could have contributed to setting a precedent for future First Ladies.

2. Resilience and Public Sympathy: The way she handled the crisis following her husband’s assassination endeared her to the public and showcased the First Lady's role as a figure of stability and strength in times of national distress. Her personal strength during President Garfield's long and public struggle with his injuries, and then her dignified grief, influenced public perceptions of the role of the First Lady as a resilient and stabilizing figure.

3. Privacy and Dignity: Lucretia maintained a dignified presence and managed her privacy and that of her family, signifying the First Lady's role as a guardian of the family's private sphere, which has continued to be a key aspect of the role in American political and public life.

Though her time as First Lady was marked by personal tragedy, Lucretia Garfield's handling of these challenges and her personal attributes left a lasting if understated impact on the evolving role of the First Lady in American society.

Lucretia Garfield faced several significant challenges during her brief tenure as First Lady of the United States. Her husband, James A. Garfield, was inaugurated as President in March 1881, and she entered the White House under difficult circumstances.

1. Illness: Shortly after her husband's inauguration, Lucretia fell ill with malaria and later suffered from a serious case of typhoid fever. This illness severely affected her during the early months of her husband's presidency and limited her ability to perform the duties and social functions expected of a First Lady.

2. President Garfield’s Assassination: Lucretia's biggest challenge came with the assassination attempt on her husband on July 2, 1881, just a few months into his presidency. President Garfield was shot by Charles J. Guiteau and struggled with his injuries for several months before passing away on September 19, 1881. During this period, Lucretia devoted herself to caring for her grievously wounded husband, maintaining a vigil at his side. The emotional and physical toll of this tragic event was immense.

3. Widowhood: Following her husband’s death, Lucretia Garfield faced the challenge of widowhood. She had to navigate life after her husband's public and traumatic death, including managing her grief while being in the public eye.

Despite these challenges, Lucretia Garfield is remembered for her strength and resilience during one of the most difficult periods in the history of American First Ladies. She later worked to preserve her husband's legacy, including contributing to the establishment of his presidential library.

Lucretia Garfield is buried alongside her husband, President James A. Garfield, in the Garfield Memorial at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio. This memorial is a significant landmark and serves as a tribute to the 20th President of the United States.

Lucretia Garfield moved to Washington, D.C., in March 1863, when her husband, James A. Garfield, began his first term as a U.S. Representative. She lived there intermittently throughout his long tenure in Congress and his brief presidency. After President Garfield was assassinated in September 1881, Lucretia returned to Ohio, where she lived for the remainder of her life. Therefore, Lucretia lived in Washington during the Congressional sessions and her husband's presidency until his death in 1881, albeit with frequent returns to Ohio.

James and Lucretia Garfield had seven children. Their children's names were Eliza Arabella, Harry Augustus, James Rudolph, Mary Garfield, Irvin McDowell, Abram Garfield, and Edward Garfield.

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