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Over many years, the descendants of the 20th US president shared stories about his impressive career but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a transportation hub,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in publications but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now inspired a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, starring an acclaimed actor as the national leader and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the economic era only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an incident now frequently ignored while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and how he was and all the information about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an schooling.

He studied law, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against forced servitude and rose to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the period. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a military promise.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe particular about the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the faction system and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the problematic element of the political appointment process. The assassin was a drifter with a background of occupational setbacks, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, financial agent, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. 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. Swept up in the events of the presidential race, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had merited a prestigious position. He went to the capital and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a post for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “What's happening?” and fell on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law