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For generations, the family members of the 20th US president shared stories about his impressive career but seldom discussed his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in publications but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled the presidential series, starring Michael Shannon as the national leader and his co-star as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the historical period only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was truncated after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an event now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of President Lincoln and John F 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 preacher, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and his behavior and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an education.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against human bondage and progressed to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to depart military life when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would function as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership 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, party members began searching for a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a wave of backers made Garfield the shocking choice. To appease the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the general election Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe particular about the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the faction system and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the dark side of the spoils network. The gunman was a wanderer with a history of career disappointments, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, bill collector, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the events of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had earned a important role. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On the tragic date, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield cried out: “Why is this occurring?” and fell on the station floor. When a {police officer|law