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Over many years, the heirs of President Garfield shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a transportation hub,” notes one of his family members. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now led to a streaming series titled the presidential series, including a talented performer as the national leader and his co-star as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the historical period only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was cut short after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an incident now largely forgotten while the assassinations of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also formed his character and how he was and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against forced servitude and progressed to the military position.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the period. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would work as a party member for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a solution. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to 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 central struggle of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was confirmed. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the party machine and for the change movement over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the problematic element of the political appointment process. The gunman was a drifter with a background of occupational setbacks, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, bill collector, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the drama of the 1880 election, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became certain in his thoughts that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had earned a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an handgun from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

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