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Over many years, the heirs of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now inspired a television production titled the presidential series, including Michael Shannon as the national leader and his co-star as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His time in office was truncated after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and his behavior and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an education.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against forced servitude and advanced to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's emotional address proposing Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon 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 pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into 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 approved. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the dark side of the political appointment process. The gunman was a drifter with a history of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a attorney, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the events of the political contest, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had merited a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he passed through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an handgun from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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