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Over many years, the heirs of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now resulted in a streaming series titled the presidential series, including Michael Shannon as the president and his co-star as the wanderer who shot him.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the historical period only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was truncated after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an event now largely forgotten while the deaths of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a farmer. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and how he was and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an schooling.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against human bondage and advanced to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the time. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a Republican for 17 years. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the legislative arena will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was very important to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield beat the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements 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 pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who represented the dark side of the patronage system. The assassin was a unstable individual with a record of professional failures, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the political contest, he created and presented an minor oration, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a important role. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an handgun from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

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