Facts about Lucretia Garfield: Fact Sheet of Lucretia Garfield Facts and Info: This fast fact sheet provides important information about Lucretia Garfield, First Lady of the United States of America. | Lucretia Garfield Fact Sheet - The First Lady of President James Garfield | Relationship to President James Garfield: Wife | | Date Lucretia Garfield entered White House as First Lady: March 4, 1881 | | Term of Presidency: 100 days (1881) |
| | When and where was Lucretia Garfield born? | Picture of Lucretia Garfield | | Lucretia Garfield was born on April 19, 1832 in Garrettsville, Ohio | | What was the name of her father and mother? | | The name of her parents: Zebulon Rudolph & Arabella Green Mason Rudolph. She was well educated at Geauga Seminary in Chester, Ohio and the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute in Hiram, Ohio and became a schoolteacher | | What was her relationship to President James Garfield? | | She was his wife | | When did she marry? | | Lucretia married James Garfield on November 11, 1858 | | What are the names of her children? | | The names of her children were Eliza Arabella (1860 – 1863), Harry Augustus (1863 – 1942), James Rudolph (1865 – 1950), Mary “Molly” (1867 – 1947), Irvin McDowell (1870 – 1951), Abram (1872 – 1958), Edward (1874 – 1876) | | When and where did Lucretia Garfield die? | | Lucretia Garfield died on March 14, 1918 in Pasadena, California | Lucretia Garfield Fact Sheet - The First Lady of President James Garfield |
Facts about Lucretia Garfield: Fast Overview of Events in the White House Facts and Info: Lucretia Garfield assumed the position of First Lady to President James Garfield. His presidency only lasted 100 days, his life cut short by an assassination attempt on on July 2, 1881 by Charles J. Guiteau, a disgruntled Republican, and the careless medical treatment inflicted by his doctors. Personality and Character: Lucretia Garfield Quotes Facts and Info: An insight into the personal views, character and personality of this First Lady may be obtained from the following Lucretia Garfield quotes: "It is a terrible responsibility to come to him and to me." "It is horrible to be a man. But the grinding misery of being a woman between the upper and nether millstone of household cares and training children is almost as bad. To be half civilized with some aspirations for enlightenment, and obliged to spend the largest part of the time the victim of young barbarians keeps one in a perpetual ferment." Facts about Lucretia Garfield: Her Nickname or Pet Name "Crete" Facts and Info: This First Lady's full name was Lucretia Rudolph Garfield but she was called by the pet name "Crete" by her family, friends and husband. Facts about Lucretia Garfield: First Events Facts and Info: She was one of the four first ladies to lose their husbands in presidential assassinations. The other first ladies were Mary Lincoln, Jackie Kennedy and Ida McKinley. Lucretia was the first First Lady to take inventory of items in the White House, undertaking research on the objects in the Library of Congress. Facts about the Causes and Accomplishments of Lucretia Garfield Facts and Info: First Ladies are not elected so have no official role. Their accomplishments are therefore based on their own particular wishes that ranged from political interests, humanitarian and charitable causes or duties relating to their family or social responsibilities. The causes and accomplishments of Lucretia Garfield were demonstrated in her support of women's rights, literacy and education. Facts about Lucretia Garfield: The Life of Lucretia Garfield Facts and Info: Lucretia Garfield was born on April 19, 1832 in Garrettsville, Ohio. Her father was Zebulon Rudolph a prosperous farmer, and religious leader who co-founded the Eclectic Institute in Hiram, Ohio. Lucy was extremely well educated at the Eclectic Institute and was a reserved and diligent, an outstanding pupil and impressive public speaker. She met James Garfield whist attending the college and the couple married on November 11, 1858. Lucretia continued to teach until the birth of her first child. James and Lucretia Garfield raised five children and one of their sons, James R. Garfield, followed his father into politics and became Secretary of the Interior under President Theodore Roosevelt. Lucretia Garfield was a highly independent woman, an intellectual who seemed somewhat dull to many of her acquaintances. Her husband's political career progressed and Lucretia showed a keen interest in politics. Lucretia had held strong views on women's rights but she never publicly disagreed with him on any issue. James Garfield was away from home due to his work in the Ohio State Senate. When James was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives the couple moved to Washington. James Garfield was elected President and Lucretia assumed her role as First Lady on March 4, 1881. Although initially reluctant to assume her duties Lucretia took an intellectual approach to her role and researched the history of the White House and the actions and accomplishments of her predecessors. She was aware of what was popular and what was not. She hosted cheerful social events at the White House and lifted the ban on serving alcoholic drinks that had been imposed by the previous First Lady, Lucy Hayes. Her work was cut short when she contacted malaria and went to Long Branch, New Jersey, to recuperate. On July 2, 1881 Lucretia Garfield received the terrible news that her husband had been shot by Charles J. Guiteau, a disgruntled Republican. She returned to Washington to nurse her husband, one of the assassin's bullets was lodged in his spine. The president was bedridden in the White House and was in considerable pain. Careless work by surgeons led to infection causing his death by blood poisoning on September 19, 1881, just 100 days after assuming the Presidency. Facts about Lucretia Garfield: Her Home at Pasadena Facts and Info: The American public reacted with shock and grief and extended their sympathy to the plight of the president's widow and her five children. Nearly $360,000 was raised in contributions for the family. A trust fund was established by financier Cyrus W. Field and in 1903 Lucretia decided to build a house in South Pasadena, California as a winter residence. Her house in Pasadena was designed by the celebrated architects Greene and Greene to whom she was distantly related. The design of her Pasadena home was a six bedroom, three-story Chalet style house, built in the Arts and Crafts style. During World War I, Lucretia Garfield volunteered with a Red Cross Unit in Pasadena, California. Lucretia Garfield died at her home in Pasadena on March 14, 1918. Her casket was placed above ground, near the coffin of her husband that was housed in the lower level crypt of the presidential tomb at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio. |