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Over many years, the heirs of the 20th US president discussed openly about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” reflects one of his family members. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now inspired a streaming series titled the presidential series, featuring Michael Shannon as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the historical period only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His presidency was truncated after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an incident now frequently ignored while the assassinations of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was multiple professions 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 Highest Office

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against human bondage and rose to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the period. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would serve as a party member for 17 years. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began seeking a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “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 stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the problematic element of the patronage system. The assassin was a unstable individual with a background of career disappointments, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, financial agent, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the presidential race, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had merited a high-level government job. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination 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 coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield cried out: “What's happening?” and collapsed on the station floor. When a {police officer|law