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Throughout history, the descendants of James Garfield spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” explains one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in publications but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now inspired a television production titled the historical drama, featuring an acclaimed actor as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue 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 multiple professions which also shaped who he was and his behavior and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against slavery and advanced 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 time. He was caring. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to leave army service when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would function as a party member for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“His oration on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this topic was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a solution. Garfield's emotional address supporting 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 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield beat 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

“His possible achievements and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe particular about the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling insisted on authority over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of customs official. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the political organization and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who represented the negative aspect of the political appointment process. The gunman was a unstable individual with a record of occupational setbacks, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the 1880 election, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had earned a important role. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an handgun from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law