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Over many years, the heirs of the 20th US president discussed openly about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in books but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now inspired a streaming series titled the presidential series, featuring an acclaimed actor as the president and his co-star as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the historical period only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was cut short after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire 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 formed his character and his behavior and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds for an education.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against forced servitude and advanced to the officer status.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the time. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a party member for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began seeking a solution. Garfield's emotional address proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a rush of supporters made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe special for the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. 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 selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the faction system and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who represented the problematic element of the spoils network. The assassin was a unstable individual with a background of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a attorney, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became certain in his thoughts that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a important role. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an handgun from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield cried out: “My God, what is this?” and collapsed on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law