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Throughout history, the descendants of President Garfield spoke proudly about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” notes one of his family members. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This shifted in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now inspired a streaming series titled the historical drama, featuring an acclaimed actor as the national leader and another skilled actor as the wanderer who shot him.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His tenure was cut short after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an incident now largely forgotten while the deaths of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“It's impossible not to respect 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 all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against forced servitude and advanced to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the time. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a party member for nearly two decades. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was very important to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a solution. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon 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 defining conflict of Garfield's limited administration was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. 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 presidential authority”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict turned into a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the problematic element of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a background of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, financial agent, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. 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 way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the drama of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a important role. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an handgun from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “What's happening?” and dropped on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law