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For generations, the descendants of President Garfield spoke proudly about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” explains one of his family members. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now led to a television production titled the presidential series, featuring an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the historical period only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was truncated after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and his behavior and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an formal learning.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against human bondage and progressed to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the era. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would work as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a solution. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, 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 presidential race Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is extremely rare and maybe particular about the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was forced into the role.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation escalated into a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was approved. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the party machine and for the change movement over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who represented the negative aspect of the patronage system. The assassin was a wanderer with a record of professional failures, emotional issues and childhood trauma. He had failed as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the drama of the presidential race, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield shouted: “Why is this occurring?” and collapsed on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law