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For generations, the family members of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “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 sparked curiosity in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now led to a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, starring a talented performer as the president and another skilled actor as the wanderer who shot him.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the historical period only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an incident now frequently ignored while the assassinations of President Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a farmer. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and his behavior and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an schooling.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, 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 a large family. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against human bondage and rose to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was elected to the Congress, where he would serve as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was very important to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman caught their attention. 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 shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's brief term was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a open fight but Garfield defeated 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 landmark victory for the executive authority over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who represented the negative aspect of the spoils network. The gunman was a wanderer with a record of professional failures, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a attorney, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the events of the political contest, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an handgun from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield cried out: “Why is this occurring?” and collapsed on the station floor. When a {police officer|law