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Over many years, the family members of James Garfield discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now inspired a streaming series titled the presidential series, starring Michael Shannon as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who shot him.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the economic era only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. 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 killings of the Civil War president and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a minister, he was a farmer. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and how he was and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against slavery and rose to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the period. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would work as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's emotional address proposing Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, 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 appease the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“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 never thought about it but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the negative aspect of the patronage system. The gunman was a wanderer with a history of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a attorney, bill collector, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a important role. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an handgun from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

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