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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 knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” notes one of his family members. “We studied the story in publications but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now led to a television production titled the presidential series, starring an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an incident now frequently ignored while the killings of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also formed his character and his approach and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve 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 father died when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against slavery and rose to the military position.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was elected to the Congress, where he would work as a party member for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a military promise.

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

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the shocking choice. To appease the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield beat the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe particular about the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was thrust into it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's brief term was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling insisted on authority over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a visible struggle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who represented the negative aspect of the spoils network. The assassin was a wanderer with a background of professional failures, emotional issues and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, financial agent, religious figure and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for importance. 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 route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the events of the presidential race, he created and presented an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had merited a important role. He went to the capital and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an handgun from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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