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Throughout history, the family members of the 20th US president shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” explains one of his family members. “We read about the story in publications but, for various reasons, 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 cut-short presidency. The publication has now inspired a streaming series titled the presidential series, including a talented performer as the president and his co-star as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an event now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of President Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and how he was and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against human bondage and progressed to the officer status.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the time. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was selected to the Congress, where he would serve as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe special for the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who represented the problematic element of the political appointment process. The gunman was a wanderer with a record of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a attorney, bill collector, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the events of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had merited a prestigious position. He went to the capital and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he passed through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “Why is this occurring?” and fell on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law