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Over many years, the heirs of the 20th US president discussed openly about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” explains one of his family members. “We learned about the story in books but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now led to a Netflix drama titled the presidential series, including a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the economic era only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the assassinations of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also formed his character and his approach and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an education.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against forced servitude and progressed to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was selected to the Congress, where he would work as a political representative for 17 years. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is very unusual and maybe unique to the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the dark side of the patronage system. The gunman was a drifter with a history of career disappointments, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the political contest, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became certain in his thoughts that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a important role. He went to the capital and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an weapon from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law