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Over many years, the descendants of President Garfield shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now resulted in a streaming series titled the historical drama, featuring a talented performer as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the economic era only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was truncated after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an event now frequently ignored while the killings of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was multiple professions which also influenced his personality and his behavior and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against forced servitude and rose to the military position.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the era. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Public Life and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to depart military life when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a party member for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this issue was very important 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 military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began seeking a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, 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 running mate. In the national vote Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's short presidency was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation escalated into a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the problematic element of the spoils network. The gunman was a unstable individual with a record of career disappointments, emotional issues and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, bill collector, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed 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 progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Carried away in the events of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a high-level government job. 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 no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an weapon from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “What's happening?” and dropped on the station floor. When a {police officer|law