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Throughout history, the family members of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled the presidential series, including an acclaimed actor as the national leader and his co-star as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the economic era only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only half a year 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 fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, 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 everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against slavery and advanced to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was caring. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would function as a party member for multiple terms. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a military promise.

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

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, 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 searching for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, 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 unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe particular about 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 defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post 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 nominated a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the faction system and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Gunman 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 gunman was a drifter with a record of professional failures, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, financial agent, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a prestigious position. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “What's happening?” and fell on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law