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For generations, the heirs of James Garfield shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now inspired a Netflix drama titled the presidential series, including an acclaimed actor as the president and another skilled actor as the wanderer who shot him.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His tenure was cut short after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the killings of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and his approach and all the information about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an schooling.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against forced servitude and progressed to the military position.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the period. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was elected to the Congress, where he would function as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

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

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to 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 clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict turned into a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the party machine and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

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 background of professional failures, emotional issues and childhood trauma. He had failed as a attorney, bill collector, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for importance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the events of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had deserved a important role. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his college reunion. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an weapon from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield cried out: “What's happening?” and collapsed on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law