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For generations, the descendants of James Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but seldom discussed his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in books but, for various reasons, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now led to a television production titled the presidential series, starring Michael Shannon as the national leader and his co-star as the drifter who shot him.

The series promises 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 tenure was cut short after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an event now largely forgotten while the assassinations of President Lincoln and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a lawyer, he was a religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also formed his character and his approach and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an education.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against human bondage and advanced to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would work as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the realization of a military promise.

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

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a middle ground. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is very unusual and maybe particular about the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He nominated a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was approved. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a psychologically troubled person who exemplified the negative aspect of the patronage system. The assassin was a unstable individual with a record of professional failures, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the drama of the 1880 election, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had merited a important role. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an weapon from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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