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For generations, the heirs of the 20th US president shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in publications but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now resulted in a television production titled the presidential series, starring Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the historical period only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an incident now frequently ignored while the killings of President Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and his approach and everything that we know 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 Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an schooling.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against slavery and advanced to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would work as a party member for 17 years. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

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

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a open fight but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the negative aspect of the spoils network. The gunman was a drifter with a background of professional failures, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, financial agent, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Carried away in the events of the presidential race, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had merited a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his college reunion. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an weapon from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

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