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For generations, the family members of James Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but avoided talking about his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now inspired a streaming series titled the presidential series, starring Michael Shannon as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the economic era only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His presidency was truncated after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an event now frequently ignored while the killings of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and his behavior and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Ohio 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 voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds for an schooling.

He studied law, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against slavery and advanced to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the era. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a political representative for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the prestigious role of customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the dark side of the spoils network. The assassin was a wanderer with a background of professional failures, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, financial agent, religious figure and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had merited a important role. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield cried out: “Why is this occurring?” and dropped on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law