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For generations, the heirs of the 20th US president discussed openly about his impressive career but avoided talking about his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This shifted in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now inspired a streaming series titled the historical drama, including an acclaimed actor as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who shot him.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the historical period only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was cut short after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also formed his character and his approach and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, 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 rose to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the period. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a Republican for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this issue was very important to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

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

On the extended selection process, a rush of supporters made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe special for 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 defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of port authority. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He proposed a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats 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 cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who represented the dark side of the spoils network. The gunman was a wanderer with a history of professional failures, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, financial agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had merited a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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