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Over many years, the family members of James Garfield shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now resulted in a television production titled the presidential series, including an acclaimed actor as the president and another skilled actor as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was cut short after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an incident now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of President 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 lawyer, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and his approach and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds for an formal learning.

He studied law, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against forced servitude and advanced to the officer status.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to depart military life when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a party member for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members 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 audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe particular about the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was thrust into it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the faction system and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the negative aspect of the patronage system. The assassin was a drifter with a background of career disappointments, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill 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 could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the events of the political contest, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had merited a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his college reunion. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an handgun from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

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