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For generations, the heirs of President Garfield shared stories about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was shot in a transportation hub,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in books but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the release of a historical book, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now led to a streaming series titled the presidential series, starring an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the historical period only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was truncated after only half a year not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an incident now largely forgotten while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and his approach and the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against slavery and advanced to the officer status.

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

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would work as a Republican for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the floor of Congress will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman won them over. 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 rush of supporters made Garfield the surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, another politician, 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 unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“His possible achievements 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 never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the party machine and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the problematic element of the patronage system. The assassin was a drifter with a history of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, bill collector, religious figure and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — 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 Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and fell on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law