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Over many years, the heirs of the 20th US president shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” explains one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in books but, for various reasons, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now inspired a television production titled the presidential series, starring a talented performer as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who shot him.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the economic era only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was truncated after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now frequently ignored while the deaths of President Lincoln and JFK continue to intrigue the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and how he was and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against forced servitude and progressed to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the era. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a party member for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

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

On the 36th ballot, a rush of supporters 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 presidential race Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe particular about 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 disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, 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 dispute became a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the negative aspect of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a history of career disappointments, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, bill collector, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the drama of the presidential race, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had merited a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On the tragic date, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

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