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Throughout history, the heirs of the 20th US president shared stories about his impressive career but seldom discussed his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in books but, for various reasons, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now inspired a television production titled the historical drama, including an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the historical period only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was cut short after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now frequently ignored while the assassinations of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and his approach and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against slavery and progressed to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the period. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a political representative for 17 years. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a solution. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the general election Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle 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 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 presidential authority”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was approved. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the faction system and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the dark side of the spoils network. The assassin was a wanderer with a record of professional failures, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a attorney, financial agent, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an weapon from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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