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Over many years, the heirs of the 20th US president discussed openly about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in publications but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now inspired a streaming series titled the historical drama, featuring an acclaimed actor as the president and his co-star as the wanderer who shot him.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His time in office was truncated after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an tragedy now frequently ignored while the assassinations of the Civil War president and JFK continue to intrigue the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and his behavior and all the information about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against human bondage and progressed to the officer status.

“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 time. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would work as a political representative for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an remarkable speaker and this topic was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a solution. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “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 shocking choice. To appease the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was forced into the role.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of customs official. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation escalated into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the party machine and for the change movement over “boss rule”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who represented the problematic element of the patronage system. The gunman was a wanderer with a record of career disappointments, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a attorney, financial agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity 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 was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the excitement 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 logic, Guiteau determined he had deserved a important role. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting 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 Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he passed through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an weapon from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield cried out: “Why is this occurring?” and dropped on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law