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Throughout history, the descendants of the 20th US president shared stories about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” notes one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in books but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now resulted in a streaming series titled the historical drama, including Michael Shannon as the president and his co-star as the drifter who shot him.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the economic era only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was cut short after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the deaths of the Civil War president and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and his approach 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 raised in rustic conditions in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against slavery and rose to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was elected to the Congress, 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 fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman won them over. 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 multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the shocking choice. To appease the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. 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 Power Struggles

“Garfield's potential greatness 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 completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the problematic element of the patronage system. The assassin was a unstable individual with a background of career disappointments, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had failed as a lawyer, financial agent, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for significance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the events of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had merited a high-level government job. He went to the capital and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited 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 educational gathering. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an handgun from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

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