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For generations, the family members of President Garfield shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” notes one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now inspired a television production titled the presidential series, including Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the economic era only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His presidency was cut short after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now frequently ignored while the killings of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and his approach and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against forced servitude and progressed to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a party member for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a conflict agreement.

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

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a backer of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, delegates, 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 appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the problematic element of the patronage system. The assassin was a drifter with a background of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had failed as a attorney, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the drama of the political contest, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had earned a prestigious position. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an weapon from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield cried out: “What's happening?” and dropped on the station floor. When a {police officer|law