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For generations, the heirs of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” notes one of his family members. “We learned about the story in books but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now led to a streaming series titled the presidential series, featuring an acclaimed actor as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances 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 largely forgotten while the killings of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also formed his character and his behavior and all the information about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against slavery and advanced to the military position.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the time. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would work as a Republican for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was very important to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a compromise. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role 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 became a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the faction system and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who represented the dark side of the spoils network. The gunman was a unstable individual with a history of professional failures, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, financial agent, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for importance. 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 way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had earned a high-level government job. He went to the capital and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an handgun from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

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