Lucretia Rudolph

Other Events:

• Birth: 19 Apr 1832, Garrettsville, Portage County, OH

Notes:

Presidential First Lady. Her tenure in Washington lasted but 200 days. James Garfield's Inaugural Ball was held at the Smithsonian institute where an electric lamp was on display to the amazement of all who attended. Shortly after, Lucretia Garfield became ill with malaria and went to Elberon, New Jersey for rest and recuperation when word arrived that her husband had been shot. She returned to Washington by special train, frail and fatigued to personally tend to her husband. The President was taken to Elberon for treatment during the three months he fought for his life. Attending doctors were unable to locate the bullet lodged in President's Garfield stomach and they may have caused an infection with non-sterile instruments that led to his death. After his burial in Cleveland, the family returned home to their farm in Mentor, Ohio. Lucretia Rudolph was born in Garrettsville, Ohio her father was Zebulon Rudolph one of the founders of Hiram College. She was educated at home until the age of sixteen then attended school in nearby Chesterland where she met James A. Garfield. She enrolled in Hiram College then known as Western Reserve Electic College, graduated and began her teaching career with assignments in Cleveland, Ravenna and Chagrin Falls. Letter writing to James Garfield culminated in Courtship and finally marriage. Their relationship in the beginning was very unstable due to the amount of time spent apart. Garfield was rewarded for his outstanding civil war record with a seat in the House of Representatives. The marriage grew stronger as Lucretia and her children joined him in Washington. Of seven children, two died and five achieved adulthood. Garfield's election to the Presidency brought a cheerful family to the White House only to be overshadowed by death and illness. After the death of the President and burial, the family returned home to their residence in Mentor, Ohio. (Lawnfield) Lucretia Garfield remained here for many years remodeling the residence with the addition of many rooms including a library to house the President's huge collection of books. She added a carriage house and finally a windmill. The house today is preserved and is a favorite destination of tourist where they are able to view the many mementos from the Garfield family. She had many grandchildren and kept up her interest in politics. She rolled bandages for the Spanish War and for World War I. Finding the Ohio winters too cold, Lucretia moved to California and constructed a house in Pasadena. she was an honored guest in the first Rose Bowl parade. Lucretia remained a widow and lived 36 years after the death of her husband. She died at her Pasadena home at the age of eighty five then taken to Cleveland and interred in the same mausoleum beside her husband at Lakeview Cemetery. (bio by: Donald Greyfield)

Lucretia married 20th U.S. President James Abram Garfield on 11 Nov 1858 in Hudson, Summit County, OH. James (son of Abram Garfield and Elizabeth Ballou) was born on 19 Nov 1831 in Orange, Cuyahoga County, OH; died on 19 Sep 1881 in Elberon, Monmouth County, NJ. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Elizabeth Arabella Garfield was born on 3 Jul 1860 in Hiram, Portage County, OH; died on 3 Dec 1863.
2. Harry Augustus Garfield was born on 11 Oct 1863 in Hiram, Portage County, OH; died on 12 Dec 1942.
3. James Rudolph Garfield was born on 17 Oct 1865 in Hiram, Portage County, OH; died on 24 Mar 1950.
4. Mary Garfield was born on 16 Jan 1867 in District of Columbia; died on 30 Dec 1947.
5. Irvin Mcdowell Garfield was born on 3 Aug 1870 in Hiram, Portage County, OH; died on 18 Jul 1951.
6. Abram Garfield was born on 21 Nov 1872 in District of Columbia; died on 16 Oct 1958.
7. Edward Garfield was born on 25 Dec 1874 in Hiram, Portage County, OH; died on 25 Oct 1876.

Zebulon married Arabella Mason. Arabella (daughter of Elijah Mason and Lucretia Greene) was born on 18 Apr 1810; died on 13 Jul 1879; was buried in Fairview cemetery, Hiram, Portage County, OH. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Susan Griffith. Susan was born on 17 Sep 1767; died on 10 Sep 1827; was buried in Baptist cemetery, Garrettsville, Portage County, OH. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Elijah married Lucretia Greene. Lucretia (daughter of John Greene and Azubah Ward) was born on 20 Feb 1770; died on 18 Mar 1852. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Jacob married Rachel Johnston. Rachel was born in 1730; died in 1769. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Peleg married Mary Stanton on 4 Nov 1742 in Charlestown, Washington County, RI. Mary (daughter of Joseph Stanton and Esther Gallup) was born in 1721 in Westerly, Washington County, RI; died on 16 Feb 1761 in Lebanon, New London County, CT. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Birth: 1711, Stonington, New London County, CT

John married Azubah Ward. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]