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Over many years, the descendants of President Garfield discussed openly about his impressive career but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in books but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now inspired a television production titled the presidential series, including a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who shot him.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the economic era only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was truncated after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an event now mostly overlooked while the deaths of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, 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 relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against forced servitude and advanced to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a party member for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the floor of Congress will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is extremely rare and maybe particular about the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over government appointments 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 executive of the United States”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the faction system and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Gunman 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 problematic element of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a background of professional failures, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had failed as a attorney, financial agent, religious figure and member of a free-love commune.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for importance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, 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 minor oration, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “What's happening?” and dropped on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law