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Throughout history, the heirs of the 20th US president shared stories about his impressive career but seldom discussed his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now resulted in a streaming series titled the presidential series, featuring an acclaimed actor as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the economic era only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was truncated after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an incident now largely forgotten while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a attorney, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and his behavior and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he married a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against slavery and progressed to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the period. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a Republican for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a compromise. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a rush of supporters made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is very unusual and maybe particular about the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a visible struggle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the political organization and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the negative aspect of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a record of professional failures, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, bill collector, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had earned a important role. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an handgun from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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