Lucretia Rudolph Garfield ( April 19 , 1832 - March 14 , 1918 ) , was the wife of James A. Garfield , the President of the United States . She was the First Lady of the United States in 1881 . Lucretia Rudolph-Garfield ( April 19 , 1832 -- March 14 , 1918 ) , wife of James A. Garfield , was First Lady of the United States in 1881 .