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Over many years, the descendants of James Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but seldom discussed his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his family members. “We learned about the story in publications but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now inspired a Netflix drama titled the presidential series, starring an acclaimed actor as the national leader and another skilled actor as the wanderer who shot him.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the economic era only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was cut short after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an incident now frequently ignored while the assassinations of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also formed his character and his approach and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against forced servitude and rose to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the period. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would function as a party member for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“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 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a middle ground. Garfield's emotional address proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To appease the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe unique to the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He nominated a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who represented the negative aspect of the spoils network. The assassin was a wanderer with a background of professional failures, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, bill collector, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the drama of the political contest, he created and presented an minor oration, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a important role. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he moved through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an handgun from his coat pocket 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