Garfield, Lucretia Rudolph, 1832-1918

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Lucretia Rudolph Garfield served as First Lady of the United States in 1881 until the assassination of her husband, President James A. Garfield.

In the fond eyes of her husband, President James A. Garfield, Lucretia “grows up to every new emergency with fine tact and faultless taste.” She proved this in the eyes of the nation, though she was always a reserved, self-contained woman. She flatly refused to pose for a campaign photograph, and much preferred a literary circle or informal party to a state reception.

Young Lucretia Rudolph acquired a love of learning from her father, Zeb, a leading citizen of Hiram, Ohio, and devout member of the Disciples of Christ. She first met “Jim” Garfield when both attended a nearby school, and they renewed their friendship in 1851 as students at the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute, founded by the Disciples.

But “Crete” did not attract his special attention until December 1853, when he began a rather cautious courtship, and they did not marry until November 1858, when he was well launched on his career as a teacher. His service in the Union Army from 1861 to 1863 kept them apart; their first child, a daughter, died in 1863. But after his first lonely winter in Washington as a freshman Representative, the family remained together. With a home in the capital as well as one in Ohio they enjoyed a happy domestic life. A two-year-old son died in 1876, but five children grew up healthy and promising; with the passage of time, Lucretia became more and more her husband’s companion.

In Washington they shared intellectual interests with congenial friends; she went with him to meetings of a locally celebrated literary society. They read together, made social calls together, dined with each other and traveled in company until by 1880 they were as nearly inseparable as his career permitted.

Garfield’s election to the Presidency brought a cheerful family to the White House in 1881. Though Mrs. Garfield was not particularly interested in a First Lady’s social duties, she was deeply conscientious and her genuine hospitality made her dinners and twice-weekly receptions enjoyable. At the age of 49 she was still a slender, graceful little woman with clear dark eyes, her brown hair beginning to show traces of silver.

In May she fell gravely ill, apparently from malaria and nervous exhaustion, to her husband’s profound distress. “When you are sick,” he had written her seven years earlier, “I am like the inhabitants of countries visited by earthquakes.” She was still a convalescent, at a seaside resort in New Jersey, when he was shot by a demented assassin on July 2. She returned to Washington by special train–“frail, fatigued, desperate,” reported an eyewitness at the White House, “but firm and quiet and full of purpose to save.”

During the three months her husband fought for his life, her grief, devotion, and fortitude won the respect and sympathy of the country. In September, after his death, the bereaved family went home to their farm in Ohio. For another 36 years she led a strictly private but busy and comfortable life, active in preserving the records of her husband’s career. She died on March 14, 1918.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Blaine, James Gillespie, 1830-1893. Papers, 1777-1945, (bulk: 1870-1892) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Garfield, Lucretia Rudolph, 1832-1918. [Note] 1909 April 18 to J. Harris Newell / Lucretia R. Garfield. Texas Tech University Libraries, Academic Library
creatorOf Garfield, Lucretia Rudolph, 1832-1918. Letter, 1899 May 26. Ohio History Connection, Ohio Historical Society
creatorOf James Rudolph Garfield Papers, 1879-1950, (bulk 1890-1932) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Papers, 1845-1900 (inclusive), 1853-1886 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Harvard University. Autograph File, G. 1641-2009. Houghton Library
creatorOf Garfield, Lucretia Rudolph, 1832-1918. Lucretia R. Garfield letter to S. S. McClure [manuscript], 1896 Apr 20. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Hinsdale family papers Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Henry Oscar Houghton papers, 1773-1932 (bulk 1833-1895) Houghton Library
referencedIn Garfield, James A. (James Abram), 1831-1881. James A. Garfield papers, 1853-1913. William & Mary Libraries
creatorOf Hinsdale, B. A. (Burke Aaron), 1837-1900. Papers, 1854-1901 / [Burke Aaron Hinsdale]. Western Reserve Historical Society, Research Library
referencedIn Howells family papers, 1850-1954 (inclusive). Houghton Library
referencedIn Howells-Fréchette family. Howells-Fréchette family papers, 1844-1934. Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
referencedIn Clarke, James Freeman, 1810-1888. Additional correspondence, 1787-1886 Houghton Library
creatorOf Garfield, Lucretia Rudolph, 1832-1918. Lucretia R. Garfield letter to Edgar Adams, 1889 October 16. Western Reserve Historical Society, Research Library
creatorOf Ingersoll, Robert Green, 1833-1899. Letter : Washington, D.C., to Mrs. [James A.] Garfield, 1880 Nov. 4. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
referencedIn Harry Augustus Garfield Papers, 1855-1961, (bulk 1888-1934) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Hinsdale family papers Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Garfield, James A. (James Abram), 1831-1881. James A. Garfield family papers, series II, 1871-1937. Western Reserve Historical Society, Research Library
referencedIn Blaine, James Gillespie, 1830-1893. Papers, 1777-1945, (bulk: 1870-1892) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn James Rudolph Garfield Papers, 1879-1950, (bulk 1890-1932) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Garfield, James A. (James Abram), 1831-1881. James A. Garfield family papers, series III, 1859-1990. Western Reserve Historical Society, Research Library
creatorOf Garfield, Lucretia Rudolph, 1832-1918. Lucretia R. Garfield envelopes with mourning border, 1894-1898. Western Reserve Historical Society, Research Library
referencedIn Charles David Williams papers, 1878-1923 Bentley Historical Library
creatorOf Garfield, Lucretia Rudolph, 1832-1918. Lucretia R. Garfield letters to Col. and Mrs. A.F. Rockwell, 1884-1890. Western Reserve Historical Society, Research Library
creatorOf Garfield, James A. (James Abram), 1831-1881. Papers, 1857-1936. Western Reserve Historical Society, Research Library
creatorOf Greene & Greene. Residence for Mrs. Lucretia R. Garfield at South Pasadena, Cal. [graphic] / Greene & Greene, Architects. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn Garfield, Lucretia Rudolph, 1832-1918. [Note] 1909 April 18 to J. Harris Newell / Lucretia R. Garfield. Texas Tech University Libraries, Academic Library
creatorOf Garfield, James A. (James Abram), 1831-1881. James A. Garfield family collection, [18--]-[19--]. Lake County Historical Society
referencedIn Garfield, James A. (James Abram), 1831-1881. Papers, [microform] selections from originals in the Library of Congress. Rutherford B Hayes Presidential Center, Hayes Presidential Center
creatorOf Stanley-Brown, Mary Garfield, 1867-1947. Mary Garfield Stanley-Brown papers, 1881-1967. Western Reserve Historical Society, Research Library
creatorOf Lucretia Rudolph Garfield Papers, 1807-1958, (bulk 1844-1918) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Garfield, Lucretia. Survey of Sherman, Connecticut, 1921 April 9-11. Connecticut Historical Society
referencedIn Truesdell family photograph album [graphic], circa 1880-1899. Oregon Historical Society Research Library
creatorOf Garfield, Lucretia Rudolph, 1832-1918. Lucretia R. Garfield letter : 1882. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
referencedIn Wallace, Lew, 1827-1905. Papers, 1799-1923 (bulk 1846-1906). Indiana Historical Society Library
creatorOf Hay, John, 1838-1905. Correspondence, 1854-1914, "Fiske" to "Gilder." Brown University Archives, John Hay Library
referencedIn Garfield, James A. (James Abram), 1831-1881. James A. Garfield letters to Lucretia R. Garfield, 1881 June 28-30. Western Reserve Historical Society, Research Library
creatorOf SIGNATURES OF PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA from George Washington to Dwight David Eisenhower; 1776-aft. 1952. British Library
referencedIn James A. Garfield Home (Mentor, Ohio). Lawnfield Farm records, 1880-1931. Western Reserve Historical Society, Research Library
creatorOf Garfield, Lucretia Rudolph, 1832-1915. Signature, March 1904 / Lucretia R. Garfield. Dartmouth College Library
creatorOf Garfield, James A. (James Abram), 1831-1881. James A. Garfield family papers, 1855-1938. Western Reserve Historical Society, Research Library
referencedIn James Russell Lowell additional papers, 1736-1951. Houghton Library
creatorOf Williams, Charles David, 1860-1923. Charles David Williams papers, 1878-1923. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Benjamin Holt Ticknor Papers, 1595-1935, (bulk 1850-1920) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Greene & Greene. Residence for Mrs. Lucretia R. Garfield at Pasadena, Cal. [graphic] / Greene & Greene, Architects. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
creatorOf Price family. Papers, 1840-1906. Washington State University, Holland and Terrell Libraries
creatorOf Dodge, Mary Abigail, 1833-1896. Mary Abigail Dodge Papers, 1834-1896. Peabody Essex Museum
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Abell, L. G., Mrs. person
associatedWith Adams, Edgar. person
correspondedWith Blaine, James Gillespie, 1830-1893. person
correspondedWith Blaine, James G., Mrs., 1828-1903 person
correspondedWith Booth, Almeda A. (Almeda Ann), 1823-1875 person
correspondedWith Burnett, Frances Hawks Cameron person
associatedWith Bush, Cornelia Wheat, 1834-1916. person
associatedWith Clarke, James Freeman, 1810-1888 person
correspondedWith Cleveland, Frances Folsom, 1864-1947 person
associatedWith Disciples of Christ. corporateBody
associatedWith Dodge, Mary Abigail, 1833-1896. person
associatedWith Fenton & Stair (Firm : Cleveland, Ohio) corporateBody
correspondedWith Field, Cyrus W. (Cyrus West), 1819-1892 person
correspondedWith Force, M. F. (Manning Ferguson), 1824-1899 person
parentOf Garfield, Abram, b. 1872. person
memberOf Garfield family. family
memberOf Garfield family. family
parentOf Garfield, Harry Augustus, 1863-1942. person
parentOf Garfield, Irvin McDowell, 1870-1951. person
spouseOf Garfield, James A. (James Abram), 1831-1881. person
parentOf Garfield, James Rudolph, 1865-1950. person
associatedWith Garfield, Lucretia Rudolph, 1832-1918. person
almaMaterOf Geauga Seminary (Chester Center, Ohio) corporateBody
correspondedWith Grant, Julia Dent, 1826-1902 person
associatedWith Greene & Greene. corporateBody
associatedWith Greene & Greene. corporateBody
associatedWith Guiteau, Charles Julius, 1841-1882. person
correspondedWith Harrison, Benjamin, 1833-1901 person
correspondedWith Hayes, Rutherford Birchard, 1822-1893 person
associatedWith Hay, John, 1838-1905. person
associatedWith Hinsdale, B. A. (Burke Aaron), 1837-1900. person
associatedWith Hinsdale family family
associatedWith Hinsdale family. family
alumnusOrAlumnaOf Hiram College corporateBody
correspondedWith Houghton, Henry Oscar, 1823-1895 person
associatedWith Howells-Fréchette family. family
correspondedWith Howells, William Dean, 1837-1920 person
associatedWith Ingersoll, Robert Green, 1833-1899. person
associatedWith James A. Garfield Home (Mentor, Ohio) corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky Historical Society. corporateBody
correspondedWith Lincoln, Robert Todd, 1843-1926 person
correspondedWith Lowell, James Russell, 1819-1891 person
associatedWith Lowell, James Russell, 1819-1891 person
associatedWith McClure, S. S. (Samuel Sidney), 1857-1949, person
correspondedWith McKinley, William, 1843-1901 person
associatedWith Newell, J. Harris. person
correspondedWith Polk, James K. (James Knox), 1795-1849 person
correspondedWith Polk, Sarah Childress, 1803-1891 person
associatedWith Price family. family
correspondedWith Reid, Whitelaw, 1837-1912 person
associatedWith Rockwell, A. F. person
correspondedWith Rockwell, Almon Ferdinand, 1835- person
associatedWith Rudolph family. family
associatedWith Rudolph family. family
correspondedWith Selleck, Rebecca person
associatedWith Smith, Theodore Clarke, 1870-1960. person
associatedWith Stanley-Brown family. family
parentOf Stanley-Brown, Mary Garfield, 1867-1947. person
correspondedWith Swaim, David Gaskill, 1834-1897 person
correspondedWith Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson, Baron, 1809-1892 person
associatedWith Ticknor, Benjamin Holt, 1842-1914. person
correspondedWith Tyler, Julia Gardiner, 1820-1889 person
correspondedWith Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, 1819-1901 person
associatedWith Wallace, Lew, 1827-1905. person
associatedWith Williams, Charles David, 1860-1923. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
South Pasadena CA US
District of Columbia DC US
Garrettsville OH US
Mentor OH US
Bryan OH US
Cleveland OH US
Subject
Arts
Bereavement
Campaign speeches
Genealogy
Literature
Presidents
Presidents' spouses
Thank-you notes
Trials(assassination)
Occupation
Teachers
Presidents' spouses
Activity

Person

Birth 1832-04-19

Death 1918-03-14

Female

Americans

English

Information

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SNAC ID: 84538840