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Throughout history, the heirs of President Garfield spoke proudly about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was shot in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in books but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now resulted in a television production titled the presidential series, featuring an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His tenure was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the killings of Abraham Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a legal professional, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and his approach and the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against human bondage and progressed to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the era. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a Republican for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. 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 emotional address nominating Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a rush of supporters made Garfield the surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Power Struggles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was forced into the role.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's limited administration was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who represented the problematic element of the political appointment process. The gunman was a unstable individual with a background of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the drama of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became certain in his thoughts that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had earned a important role. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — 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 Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he moved through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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