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For generations, the heirs of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in publications but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the release of a historical book, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now resulted in a television production titled the historical drama, including Michael Shannon as the national leader and his co-star as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the economic era only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was cut short after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an incident now frequently ignored while the assassinations of the Civil War president and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, 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 all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds for an formal learning.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against forced servitude and progressed to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the time. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a political representative for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a conflict agreement.

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

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began seeking a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the general election Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is extremely rare and maybe particular about the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was thrust into it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He nominated a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict turned into a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the faction system and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Killer 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 dark side of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a history of professional failures, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, bill collector, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the events of the presidential race, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had merited a important role. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he passed through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “What's happening?” and dropped on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law