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Throughout history, the family members of the 20th US president discussed openly about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We studied the story in books but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled the presidential series, featuring an acclaimed actor as the president and another skilled actor as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an incident now largely forgotten while the killings of President Lincoln 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 legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and his behavior and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an education.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against human bondage and advanced to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the time. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would function as a political representative for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to the American presidency is he didn't want the job. 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 clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who represented the negative aspect of the patronage system. The assassin was a unstable individual with a background of occupational setbacks, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, bill collector, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the events of the presidential race, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had deserved a important role. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, 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, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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