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Throughout history, the heirs of James Garfield spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the release of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now resulted in a streaming series titled the presidential series, including Michael Shannon as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the economic era only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was truncated after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an incident now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and his approach and all the information about him the family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an formal learning.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against human bondage and progressed to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the time. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was elected to the Congress, where he would serve as a Republican for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield beat the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe special for the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control 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 “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the change movement over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

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 political appointment process. The assassin was a drifter with a history of professional failures, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the events of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a important role. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his college reunion. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the station floor. When a {police officer|law