Garfield, James Rudolph, 1865-1950

James Rudolph Garfield was the son of President James A. Garfield and Lucretia Rudolph Garfield. He graduated from Williams College and Columbia Law School, and praticed law in Cleveland, Ohio, with his brother, Harry Augustus Garfield. James married Helen Newell in 1890. They had four sons; John N., James A., Rudolph, and Newell. He served in the Ohio Senate 1896-1900, and was appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt to the U.S. Civil Service Commission in 1902, and to the Department of Commerce and Labor, as the first commissioner of Corporations, 1903-1907. He then served as Roosevelt's Secretary of the Interior from 1907-1909. He backed Roosevelt's New Progressive Party in 1912, and was defeated as the reform candidate for Ohio governor in 1914. He resumed his Cleveland law practice, became prominent in local Republican politics, and was a member of several civic organizations, including the Chamber of Commerce, the Western Reserve Historical Society, the Cleveland Association for the Hard of Hearing, and the Cleveland Foundation.

From the description of James Rudolph Garfield papers, 1879-1909. (Rhinelander District Library). WorldCat record id: 43145935

U.S. secretary of the interior, Ohio state senator, conservationist, lawyer, and son of President James A. Garfield.

From the description of James Rudolph Garfield papers, 1879-1950 (bulk 1890-1932). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70980093

James Rudolph Garfield, (1865-1950) was the son of President James A. Garfield and Lucretia Rudolph Garfield. He graduated from Williams College and Columbia law school, and practiced law in Cleveland, Ohio, with his brother, Harry Augustus Garfield, who later became president of Williams College. James married Helen Newell in 1890. Their four sons were John N., James A., Rudolph, and Newell. James Rudolph Garfield served in the Ohio senate 1896-1900, and was appointed by Theodore Roosevelt to the United States Civil Service Commission in 1902, and to the Department of Commerce and Labor, where as the first Commissioner of Corporations, 1903-1907, he attacked trusts, including Standard Oil. He was Roosevelt's Secretary of the Interior from 1907 to 1909, implementing the administration's policies on conservation and American Indian affairs. He backed Roosevelt's New Progressive party in 1912, and was defeated as the reform candidate for Ohio governor in 1914. He resumed his Cleveland law practice, became prominent in local Republican politics, and was a member of several civic organizations including the Chamber of Commerce, the Western Reserve Historical Society, the Cleveland Association for Hard of Hearing, and the Cleveland Foundation.

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for James Rudolph Garfield

From the guide to the James Rudolph Garfield Papers, 1879-1909, (Western Reserve Historical Society)