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Over many years, the family members of the 20th US president discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” notes one of his family members. “We learned about the story in books but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the release of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now led to a Netflix drama titled the presidential series, featuring a talented performer as the president and his co-star as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the historical period only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an event now frequently ignored while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and his behavior and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against slavery and rose to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the period. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would function as a Republican for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will affect you emotionally. He was an remarkable speaker and this matter was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a solution. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements 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 thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was approved. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who represented the negative aspect of the patronage system. The assassin was a wanderer with a record of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the drama of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had merited a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an weapon from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield shouted: “What's happening?” and dropped on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law