James Garfield

James Abram Garfield (November 19, 1831 - 19 September 1881) was the 20th President of the United States, serving from March 4, 1881 until his death Sept. 19, 1881 to barely 200 days in office. Garfield was born in Moreland Hills, Ohio and graduated from Williams College in Massachusetts in 1856. He married Lucretia Rudolph in 1858. In 1860 he was admitted to the Bar while serving as a senator from Ohio State (1859-1861). Garfield served as a Major General in the United States Army during the Civil War and the Battle of Shiloh. He entered Congress as a Republican in 1863, opposing slavery and secession. Following the compromise with Ulysses S. Grant, James G. Blaine and John Sherman, Garfield became the Republican candidate for the presidential election of 1880 and successfully defeated Democrat Winfield Hancock. Due to spending some time as president, Garfield realized that very little.In his inaugural speech, Garfield presented a desire to reform the public service that was eventually adopted by his successor, Chester A. Arthur in 1883 the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act. His presidency was cut short after he was shot by Charles J. Guiteau entering