#35: Lucretia Garfield

Lucretia Garfield emerged as a pivotal figure in her husband, James A. Garfield’s, presidential campaign, leveraging her intricate understanding of the inner workings of the Republican Party of her era. Her influence extended to assisting in the selection of cabinet members and orchestrating White House renovations after her husband’s election.

However, a sudden bout of malaria struck her early in her husband’s term, leaving her in recovery when tragedy struck – the assassination of President Garfield in July. Fueled by a deep commitment to honoring his memory, she devoted the remainder of her life to preserving his enduring legacy.