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For generations, the heirs of the 20th US president shared stories about his impressive career but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in books but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now resulted in a television production titled the historical drama, featuring Michael Shannon as the president and his co-star as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the economic era only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an incident now mostly overlooked while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate 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 land worker. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and his behavior and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against forced servitude and progressed to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. 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 remained alive.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would work as a party member for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a wartime covenant.

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

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a solution. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe special for the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was forced into the role.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict turned into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the negative aspect of the spoils network. The assassin was a unstable individual with a history of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, financial agent, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the drama of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts 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, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an handgun from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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