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| Honoring President James A. Garfield as a 2013 Great Ohioan. |
| WHEREAS, The members of the 130th General Assembly of Ohio extend posthumous recognition to James A. Garfield on being selected as a 2013 Great Ohioan by the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board and the Capital Square Foundation; and |
| WHEREAS, This prestigious honor is a fitting tribute to the memory of President James Garfield for his outstanding contributions to the community, state, and nation. Born on November 19, 1831, in Orange Township, he served as a professor and president at Hiram College and as a member of the Ohio Senate before being commissioned an officer in the Union Army during the Civil War, but he resigned after two years when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1862, where he served nine terms. Moving to Mentor, he was elected president of the United States in 1880, where he demonstrated leniency to the conquered Southern states and strove to reform the civil service system, but after only four months in office, he was shot by a disgruntled job seeker, dying two and a half months later on September 19, 1881; and |
| WHEREAS, James Garfield is truly deserving of high praise, for he combined civic concern and commitment with selfless initiative to become a dynamic leader in the state. His home in Mentor was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966 and was designated a National Historic Site in 1980, coming under the auspices of the National Park Service in 2008. Through his unwavering dedication to excellence, he certainly distinguished himself as a conscientious and hard-working Ohioan, and we applaud his fine efforts; and |
| WHEREAS, James Garfield's exceptional record of personal and professional achievement stands as a hallmark worthy of emulation, and his example has inspired countless individuals to excel in various areas of endeavor. The respect and admiration he earned throughout his life are clearly evident, and his accomplishments and leadership serve as a justifiable source of pride for his family, hometown, and state; therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 130th General Assembly of Ohio, in adopting this Resolution, commend the late James A. Garfield on being named a Great Ohioan and salute the memory of this unique individual; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit duly authenticated copies of this Resolution to the family of James A. Garfield and the James A. Garfield National Historic Site. |