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For generations, the descendants of President Garfield shared stories about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in books but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the release of a historical book, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, featuring a talented performer as the president and his co-star as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His tenure was truncated after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an incident now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of President Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a lawyer, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also formed his character and his approach and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against human bondage and progressed to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the time. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a political representative 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.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an remarkable speaker and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a solution. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To appease the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the general election Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is remarkably uncommon 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 major battle of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a open fight 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 approved. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the faction system and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the problematic element of the political appointment process. The gunman was a wanderer with a background of professional failures, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, financial agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for importance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the events of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became certain in his thoughts that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had deserved a high-level government job. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an weapon from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield cried out: “My God, what is this?” and collapsed on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law