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For generations, the family members of James Garfield discussed openly about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” explains one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now resulted in a streaming series titled the presidential series, including Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the historical period only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the deaths 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 incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and his approach and all the information about him the family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an formal learning.

He studied law, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against human bondage and progressed to the officer status.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would work as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a compromise. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate 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 rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare 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 forced into the role.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation escalated into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the faction system and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the dark side of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a record of professional failures, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a attorney, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the drama of the 1880 election, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he moved through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law