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For generations, the descendants of the 20th US president discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We studied the story in books but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled the presidential series, featuring an acclaimed actor as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an incident now frequently ignored while the assassinations of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and his behavior and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an formal learning.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against forced servitude and progressed to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was absolutely brilliant. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the period. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a solution. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe special for the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict turned into a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the change movement over “boss rule”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the negative aspect of the patronage system. The assassin was a unstable individual with a background of career disappointments, emotional issues 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 mentally ill and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the drama of the political contest, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his college reunion. As he moved through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an handgun from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield shouted: “Why is this occurring?” and dropped on the station floor. When a {police officer|law