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Throughout history, the heirs of President Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but seldom discussed his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We studied the story in publications but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now inspired a streaming series titled the presidential series, featuring Michael Shannon as the national leader and his co-star as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the historical period only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His time in office was cut short after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an tragedy now frequently ignored while the assassinations of President Lincoln and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also formed his character and his behavior and the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against human bondage and rose to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the time. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a Republican for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“His oration on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a solution. Garfield's emotional address nominating Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, 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 shocking choice. To appease the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe particular about the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who exemplified the problematic element of the political appointment process. The gunman was a unstable individual with a background of professional failures, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a attorney, financial agent, religious figure and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Swept up in the events of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had merited a important role. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his college reunion. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and fell on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law