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Over many years, the heirs of President Garfield spoke proudly about his impressive career but avoided talking about his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a transportation hub,” notes one of his family members. “We read about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

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

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the assassinations of the Civil War president and JFK continue to intrigue 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 agriculturalist. 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.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest 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 voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against slavery and progressed to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the period. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a party member for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a solution. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of customs official. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the negative aspect of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a history of career disappointments, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, bill collector, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for importance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Carried away in the drama of the political contest, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a important role. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an handgun from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield shouted: “What's happening?” and dropped on the station floor. When a {police officer|law