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For generations, the descendants of James Garfield spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” explains one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This shifted in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now led to a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, starring an acclaimed actor as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the historical period only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was cut short after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the deaths of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and his approach and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, 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 married a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against human bondage and progressed to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the period. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a rush of supporters made Garfield the surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's short presidency was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation escalated into a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a psychologically troubled person who represented the negative aspect of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a history of professional failures, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, financial agent, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the events of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had deserved a important role. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “My God, what is this?” and collapsed on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law