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For generations, the family members of the 20th US president shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” notes one of his family members. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now inspired a television production titled the historical drama, featuring an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the historical period only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was truncated after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an event now mostly overlooked while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and how he was and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, 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 learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against forced servitude and advanced to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the period. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a Republican for multiple terms. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “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 appease the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position 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 presidential authority”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was approved. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who exemplified the negative aspect of the spoils network. The gunman was a unstable individual with a history of professional failures, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, financial agent, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that God had chosen him for importance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Swept up in the events of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had merited a prestigious position. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he moved through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing 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