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Over many years, the heirs of President Garfield spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his untimely death. 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 publications but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This shifted in 2011 with the release of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now inspired a television production titled the presidential series, including a talented performer as the president and his co-star as the wanderer who shot him.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the economic era only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was cut short after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the deaths of President Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was multiple professions which also influenced his personality and how he was and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief coming from pioneer roots in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an education.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against slavery and advanced to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was fearless. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would function as a Republican for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this issue was very important to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a solution. Garfield's emotional address nominating Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, 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, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield beat the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe unique to the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's brief term was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over political positions 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 executive of the United States”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the problematic element of the spoils network. The gunman was a unstable individual with a background of occupational setbacks, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had failed as a legal professional, bill collector, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had merited a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield shouted: “Why is this occurring?” and collapsed on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law