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Throughout history, the descendants of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his family members. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now inspired a streaming series titled the historical drama, starring an acclaimed actor as the president and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His tenure was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an incident now frequently ignored while the deaths of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also influenced his personality and his behavior and all the information about him the family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an education.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against forced servitude and progressed to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the time. He was caring. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a Republican for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the realization of a military promise.

“His oration on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a compromise. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the general election Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is very unusual and maybe particular about the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of port authority. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the negative aspect of the patronage system. The gunman was a wanderer with a record of career disappointments, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a legal professional, bill collector, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the drama of the political contest, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had deserved a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield cried out: “What's happening?” and dropped on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law