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The Life, Speeches and Public Services of James A. Garfield

Russell H. Conwell · 1881

An 1881 biography by Russell H. Conwell covering Garfield's life, speeches, and his assassination, lingering illness, death, and burial.

This 1881 biography records Garfield's speeches and public service alongside his assassination and death.

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The Life, Speeches and Public Services of James A. GarfieldPDF · 424 pages
Russell H. Conwell, The Life, Speeches, and Public Services of James A. Garfield, 1881.

About this source

What it is

Written by Russell Herman Conwell in 1881, this biography covers the life and speeches of James A. Garfield, the twentieth president. It includes a detailed account of his assassination, the painful weeks before his death, and his burial, with an introduction by Massachusetts Governor John D. Long.

Why it matters

Published the same year Garfield died, this book shows how quickly biographers moved to record his life and tragic death for the public. It reflects the mood of national mourning and the desire to understand the man who had been president for only a few months.

Look closer

  • Why might a governor have written the introduction to this book?
  • What does the detailed focus on Garfield's suffering suggest about public feeling at the time?
  • How might this account differ from a modern historical biography of Garfield?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of James A. Garfield on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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