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For generations, the descendants of President Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” explains one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now led to a television production titled the presidential series, starring Michael Shannon as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the economic era only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an event now largely forgotten while the assassinations of President Lincoln and JFK continue to intrigue the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and how he was and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an formal learning.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against slavery and progressed to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to depart military life when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a political representative for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this issue was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman impressed them. 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 extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe unique to 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 central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He proposed a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict 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 nominee was approved. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the party machine and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

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 gunman was a drifter with a background of professional failures, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, financial agent, religious figure and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the events of the political contest, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had earned a prestigious position. He went to the capital and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he moved through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an handgun from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

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