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Over many years, the descendants of James Garfield shared stories about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” notes one of his family members. “We learned about the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. The publication 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 gunned him down.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the historical period only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His tenure was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the killings of President Lincoln and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also formed his character and his behavior and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

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 support a large family in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against human bondage and advanced to the officer status.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was caring. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would work as a party member for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will affect you emotionally. He was an remarkable speaker and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. 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 compromise. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “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 stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was forced into the role.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who represented the negative aspect of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a record of career disappointments, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a attorney, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the drama of the 1880 election, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had merited a important role. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his college reunion. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an weapon from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “Why is this occurring?” and dropped on the station floor. When a {police officer|law