The 20th U.S. President whose presidency lasted only 200 days and ended with his assassination by Charles J. Guiteau.
He had dreams of being a seaman, so he left home at 16 to become a canal driver.
He served nine consecutive terms in the House of Representatives representing Ohio's 19th district.
His father passed away when he was 17 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza Ballou, to raise him alone.
He was visiting Wall Street when Abraham Lincoln was assassinated and was prompted to give a speech to a rioting crowd in an effort to calm them down.
