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Over many years, the family members of James Garfield spoke proudly about his impressive career but avoided talking about his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, featuring Michael Shannon as the president and his co-star as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the economic era only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an tragedy now frequently ignored while the assassinations of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also influenced his personality and his behavior and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he married 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 progressed to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the era. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a Republican for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the floor of Congress will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over political positions 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 presidential authority”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict turned into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who represented the problematic element of the patronage system. The assassin was a drifter with a record of professional failures, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, financial agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed 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 progressed and improved, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the drama of the presidential race, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had deserved a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance 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 leaving Washington for his college reunion. As he passed through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

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