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Throughout history, the descendants of James Garfield shared stories about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” reflects one of his family members. “We studied the story in publications but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now led to a television production titled the presidential series, starring an acclaimed actor as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the historical period only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the deaths of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also formed his character and how he was and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an formal learning.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against slavery and progressed to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the time. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a military promise.

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

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a solution. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe particular about 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 major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was approved. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who represented the negative aspect of the political appointment process. The assassin was a unstable individual with a history of professional failures, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had more privileged beginning 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. Carried away in the drama of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became certain in his thoughts that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had merited a important role. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he passed through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an handgun from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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