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For generations, the heirs of the 20th US president discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” notes one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now inspired a streaming series titled the presidential series, featuring a talented performer as the national leader and another skilled actor as the wanderer who shot him.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the historical period only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His time in office was cut short after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the killings of Abraham Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and his approach and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief coming from pioneer roots in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against forced servitude and progressed to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to leave army service when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a political representative for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the legislative arena will tear your heart out. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a backer of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman won them over. 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 stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To appease the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield beat the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe special for the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was forced into the role.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a visible struggle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the negative aspect of the political appointment process. The gunman was a wanderer with a background of career disappointments, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, bill collector, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the drama of the 1880 election, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a important role. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he passed through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an handgun from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “Why is this occurring?” and dropped on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law