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For generations, the descendants of the 20th US president discussed openly about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now resulted in a streaming series titled the historical drama, including an acclaimed actor as the president and his co-star as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was cut short after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an incident now largely forgotten while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and how he was and the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against human bondage and rose to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a Republican for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe unique to the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's limited administration was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who represented the problematic element of the spoils network. The assassin was a unstable individual with a record of career disappointments, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, financial agent, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had deserved a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a post for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an weapon from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “What's happening?” and dropped on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law