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For generations, the descendants of the 20th US president shared stories about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in publications but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now led to a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, starring an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the economic era only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also formed his character and his approach and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief coming from pioneer roots in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an formal learning.

He studied law, was became a preacher, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against human bondage and advanced to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the time. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a Republican for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this topic was very important to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a solution. Garfield's emotional address proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To appease the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Power Struggles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a political foe 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 associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the negative aspect of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a background of career disappointments, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a attorney, bill collector, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his unique form of delusion was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the drama of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a prestigious position. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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