Description:

James A. Garfield
Hiram, OH, October 12, 1871
James Garfield ALS: "Glad to hear that you have triumphed over all your enemies… rejoiced to hear that I have been of even a little service to you"
ALS

A 1p autograph letter signed by James A. Garfield (1831-1881), then a U.S. Congressman from Ohio and future 20th U.S. President, as "JA Garfield" at lower right. October 12, 1871. Hiram, Ohio. Inscribed on laid blue-lined stationery. Expected wear including flattened transmittal folds, some with minor closed tears along the creases. Isolated contemporaneous smearing to some words not affecting the legibility of the text. A few stray pen marks verso, else near fine. 4.875" x 8." Provenance: Ex-William Burger.

Garfield wrote this affectionate, almost fraternal, letter to a fellow lawyering Buckeye named Francis G. Servis (1826-1877) from Canfield, Ohio, a town located about 40 miles southwest of Garfield's home in Hiram. Garfield celebrates Servis's triumph (perhaps of a political nature?), and assures him that he will be reachable in New Hampshire. The letter concludes with a reference to "Montana news" which could indicate that even at this time, Servis was interested in a territorial judicial appointment (to be elaborated below).

Garfield wrote in full, with original spelling and punctuation:

"Hiram, O. Oct. 12 1871

Dear Servis -

Yours of yesterday is received. Glad to hear that you have triumphed over all your enemies - + rejoiced to hear that I have been of even a little service to you - Crete [Lucretia Garfield] and 'Aunt Eliza' join me in much love to you and yours - and in declaring that they had a glorious time at your house - I have no news from Palts - I go next week to New Hampshire with another, shall be gone ten days - If anything occurs - write or telegraph to Crete + she will know where to find me - She will send you any Montana news.

As Ever, only more so -

Your friend
JA Garfield

F.G. Servis
Canfield, O."

Francis G. Servis was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1853, nearly a decade before Garfield. Servis was the Prosecuting Attorney of Mahoning County, Ohio from 1863-1867. He accepted President Ulysses S. Grant's appointment to serve as a justice in the Territorial Montana Supreme Court from 1873-1875. We know from digitized records in the Library of Congress that Servis asked his old friend James Garfield to pull some strings in December 1875 in order to fill a vacancy and return to Ohio. Servis served as a circuit judge until his death in 1877.

Garfield was an Ohio delegate in the U.S. House of Representatives between 1863 and 1880. During his tenure, Garfield wrestled with issues like emancipation, Reconstruction, the gold standard, Andrew Johnson's impeachment trial, federal corruption, and congressional salaries.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 4.875" x 8"
  • Medium: ALS

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