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Over many years, the family members of James Garfield spoke proudly about his impressive career but avoided talking about his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” explains one of his family members. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now inspired a streaming series titled the presidential series, starring Michael Shannon as the president and another skilled actor as the wanderer who shot him.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the economic era only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was cut short after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an incident now largely forgotten while the killings of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and how he was and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he married a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against slavery and progressed to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the era. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Public Life and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would function as a Republican for multiple terms. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “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 surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is extremely rare and maybe special for 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 defining conflict of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling insisted on authority over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was approved. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the faction system and for the change movement over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the dark side of the political appointment process. The assassin was a wanderer with a history of professional failures, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, financial agent, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the events of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had deserved a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

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