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Throughout history, the heirs of the 20th US president discussed openly about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” notes one of his family members. “We studied the story in books but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now resulted in a streaming series titled the presidential series, including an acclaimed actor as the national leader and his co-star as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the historical period only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was truncated after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an event now frequently ignored while the deaths of the Civil War president and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and his behavior and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an education.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against forced servitude and progressed to the officer status.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the period. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would function as a political representative for 17 years. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a military promise.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this issue was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the general election Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe particular about 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 major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power 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 “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the faction system and for the change movement over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the dark side of the spoils network. The assassin was a unstable individual with a record of career disappointments, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, financial agent, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. 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 finally found a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the drama of the presidential race, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his college reunion. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an handgun from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

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