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Over many years, the heirs of James Garfield discussed openly about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in publications but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now inspired a streaming series titled the presidential series, featuring an acclaimed actor as the president and his co-star as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the economic era only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an incident now frequently ignored while the deaths of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a minister, he was a farmer. He was so many things which also formed his character 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 raised in rustic conditions in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an education.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against slavery and rose to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the time. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a party member for 17 years. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a wartime covenant.

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

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “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 rush of supporters made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is remarkably uncommon 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 thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the faction system and for the cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the negative aspect of the patronage system. The gunman was a wanderer with a record of career disappointments, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, bill collector, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a pathway to success: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the political contest, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had earned a high-level government job. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — 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 that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an weapon from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

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