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Over many years, the descendants of President Garfield shared stories about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in books but, for various reasons, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now inspired a television production titled the presidential series, including Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who shot him.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the killings of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was all of these 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 Highest Office

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds for an formal learning.

He studied law, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against forced servitude and rose to the military position.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a Republican for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “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 surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe particular about the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was thrust into it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post 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 proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a open fight but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the problematic element of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a record of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a attorney, financial agent, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the events of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered 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 deserved a prestigious position. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an handgun from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “What's happening?” and dropped on the station floor. When a {police officer|law