Lucretia Garfield
Lucretia Garfield’s stint as first lady was marked by brevity and reluctance, evident in her early sentiments conveyed to a friend through C-SPAN. Expressing ambivalence about assuming the role, she acknowledged her husband’s suitability for leadership. Shortly after James’s presidency commenced, Lucretia succumbed to illness, diagnosed as “malaria and nervous exhaustion” by the White House Library. During her absence for recuperation, James was shot by an assailant aiming for Chester Arthur’s presidency. The Siena College study yields modest scores for Lucretia, registering 2.98 for her value to the country and 2.97 for leadership. Her highest marks, at 3.09, acknowledge her courage and integrity, stemming from her unwavering fortitude and loyalty while caring for her wounded husband. James lingered for nearly three months, succumbing to an infection caused by the era’s limited understanding of bacterial transmission.
Image Credit: Mathew Benjamin Brady, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons