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For generations, the descendants of the 20th US president shared stories about his impressive career but avoided talking about his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” notes one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in books but, for various reasons, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now inspired a streaming series titled the presidential series, including Michael Shannon as the national leader and another skilled actor as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the economic era only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an event now largely forgotten while the killings of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a farmer. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and his approach and everything that we know about him the family carries down 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 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he married a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against slavery and advanced to the officer status.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a party member for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

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

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a solution. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe unique to the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's limited administration was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role 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 nation's leader”. He proposed a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was confirmed. It was a historic triumph 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 exemplified the problematic element of the patronage system. The assassin was a unstable individual with a history of professional failures, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, bill collector, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the drama of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had deserved a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — 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 the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he moved through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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