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Over many years, the family members of President Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This shifted in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now inspired a television production titled the presidential series, starring a talented performer as the president and his co-star as the unstable individual who shot him.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the economic era only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His presidency was cut short after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an incident now largely forgotten while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to intrigue the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was multiple professions which also influenced his personality and his behavior and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against forced servitude and advanced to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the time. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would function as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this issue was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a solution. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments in New York, particularly the prestigious role of customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the dark side of the political appointment process. The assassin was a drifter with a background of career disappointments, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had merited a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an handgun from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and collapsed on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law