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For generations, the descendants of the 20th US president discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” notes one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in publications but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now resulted in a streaming series titled the presidential series, featuring Michael Shannon as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who shot him.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the economic era only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an incident now mostly overlooked while the killings of President Lincoln and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a legal professional, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. 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 most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an formal learning.

He studied law, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against forced servitude and progressed to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to depart military life when he was elected to the Congress, where he would function as a party member for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield beat the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe special for the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage 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 executive of the United States”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the dark side of the spoils network. The gunman was a wanderer with a history of career disappointments, emotional issues and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, financial agent, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the political contest, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a important role. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an weapon from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “What's happening?” and fell on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law