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Over many years, the descendants of President Garfield spoke proudly about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” explains one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in publications but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, starring a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the economic era only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His presidency was cut short after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an incident now largely forgotten while the killings of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a religious leader, he was a farmer. He was all of these things which also formed his character and his approach and the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an education.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against forced servitude and rose to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the period. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“The speech he gave on the floor of Congress will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a solution. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd 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 faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great 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 forced into the role.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of customs official. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the faction system and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the dark side of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a history of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had failed as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the drama of the presidential race, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had merited a high-level government job. He went to the capital and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an handgun from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield shouted: “Why is this occurring?” and collapsed on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law