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Throughout history, the heirs of President Garfield shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” explains one of his family members. “We read about the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now resulted in a television production titled the presidential series, featuring a talented performer as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who shot him.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was cut short after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an tragedy now frequently ignored while the deaths of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and his behavior and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an schooling.

He studied law, was became a preacher, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against slavery and advanced to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Political Career 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 function as a political representative for multiple terms. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“His possible achievements 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 pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the negative aspect of the political appointment process. The gunman was a wanderer with a history of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had failed as a lawyer, financial agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the presidential race, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a prestigious position. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an handgun from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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