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Over many years, the descendants of the 20th US president shared stories about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in publications but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now led to a television production titled the presidential series, featuring a talented performer as the president and his co-star as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the economic era only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His time in office was cut short after only half a year not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an incident now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and how he was and all the information about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against human bondage and progressed to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the period. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a party member for 17 years. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a solution. Garfield's emotional address proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is extremely rare and maybe particular about the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was forced into the role.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who exemplified the dark side of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a record of professional failures, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, financial agent, religious figure and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the drama of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had earned a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a post for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he passed through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an handgun from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law