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Throughout history, the heirs of President Garfield spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now resulted in a streaming series titled the historical drama, featuring Michael Shannon as the president and his co-star as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was cut short after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an incident now mostly overlooked while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a minister, he was a farmer. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and how he was and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against forced servitude and progressed to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was elected to the Congress, where he would function as a political representative for 17 years. 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 floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a solution. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman caught their attention. 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 rush of supporters made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe special for the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He nominated a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the dark side of the spoils network. The assassin was a wanderer with a record of career disappointments, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had failed as a attorney, financial agent, minister 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 greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: 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 single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had deserved a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his college reunion. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an weapon from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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