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Throughout history, the family members of President Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but seldom discussed his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We studied the story in books but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now inspired a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, featuring a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the economic era only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was cut short after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an incident now frequently ignored while the deaths of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also formed his character and his behavior and all the information about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief coming from pioneer roots in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against forced servitude and progressed to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the time. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a political representative for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a supporter of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman impressed them. 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 multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe special for the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the problematic element of the patronage system. The gunman was a unstable individual with a record of professional failures, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for significance. 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 events of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a important role. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his college reunion. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an weapon from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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