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For generations, the heirs of the 20th US president shared stories about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” explains one of his family members. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This shifted in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled the presidential series, including a talented performer as the president and another skilled actor as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the historical period only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His tenure was cut short after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also formed his character and his behavior and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he married a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against slavery and advanced to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was absolutely brilliant. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a party member for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a military promise.

“His oration on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began seeking a compromise. Garfield's emotional address nominating Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a psychologically troubled person who exemplified the negative aspect of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a record of occupational setbacks, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had failed as a lawyer, bill collector, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau failed at everything.”

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 unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had merited a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the station floor. When a {police officer|law