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Throughout history, the heirs of President Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but seldom discussed his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” explains one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in books but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the release of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now led to a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, starring Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the economic era only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an incident now frequently ignored while the killings of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a farmer. He was so many things which also formed his character and his behavior and the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against human bondage and rose to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the era. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would serve as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an remarkable speaker and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a solution. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating 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 36th ballot, a rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, 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 Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great 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 never thought about it but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the prestigious role of port authority. 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 nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the faction system and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the problematic element of the spoils network. The gunman was a unstable individual with a background of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a attorney, financial agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was false belief. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the drama of the political contest, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had deserved a important role. He went to the capital 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 nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, produced an handgun from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “Why is this occurring?” and collapsed on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law