He originally wanted to sail the open seas

Garfield, the last president to be born in a log cabin, was the child of Abram Garfield and Eliza Ballou, who carried on managing the struggling Ohio farm following her husband's passing in 1833. Growing up, Garfield loved reading adventure books and dreamed of being a sailor. He once claimed, "Nautical novels did it. My mother tried to divert my attention, but the books were intriguing precisely because they were thought to be harmful."

Garfield was raised in poverty and without a father, making him vulnerable to slights throughout his life. He sought solace in his avid reading. He left home at the age of 16 in 1847 after being turned down for employment on the lone ship in Cleveland. Instead, for about six weeks, Garfield worked as a muleteer on the Ohio and Erie Canal, which connected Lake Erie and the Ohio River. He calculated that Garfield, who couldn't swim, fell into the canal about 16 times and got malaria as a result.

He attended the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute (formerly known as Hiram College) in Hiram, Ohio, and graduated from Williams College in 1856. He was always a diligent student. After returning to the Eclectic Institute as a professor of ancient languages, he was appointed president of the institution in 1857 at the age of 25. In addition to studying law, Garfield was also ordained as a Disciples of Christ minister before switching to politics.