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Over many years, the family members of the 20th US president shared stories about his impressive career but seldom discussed his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in publications but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now inspired a Netflix drama titled the presidential series, starring an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His presidency was cut short after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an incident now frequently ignored while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to intrigue the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and his behavior and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income 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 married a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against human bondage and rose to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the era. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would function as a party member for 17 years. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, 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 unexpected candidate. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was thrust into it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was approved. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the negative aspect of the political appointment process. The gunman was a unstable individual with a history of professional failures, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, bill collector, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had financially a better start 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 presidential race, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he passed through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an weapon from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the station floor. When a {police officer|law