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Over many years, the family members of President Garfield shared stories about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a transportation hub,” explains one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now resulted in a television production titled the historical drama, starring Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the wanderer who shot him.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the economic era only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was truncated after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an incident now frequently ignored while the assassinations of the Civil War president and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and his behavior and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against slavery and rose to the military position.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the period. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a party member for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

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

On the extended selection process, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the shocking choice. To appease the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe particular about the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict 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 customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation escalated into a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the party machine and for the change movement over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who represented the dark side of the spoils network. The gunman was a unstable individual with a background of career disappointments, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for importance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Carried away in the events of the political contest, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had merited a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an weapon from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield cried out: “Why is this occurring?” and dropped on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law