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Over many years, the family members of James Garfield spoke proudly about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in books but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now led to a television production titled the presidential series, featuring Michael Shannon as the president and his co-star as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the economic era only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His time in office was truncated after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the killings of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

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

Rising from Poverty to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against human bondage and rose to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the time. He was caring. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a party member for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will move you deeply. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this issue was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a solution. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman impressed them. 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 rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the general election Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe particular about the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role 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 executive of the United States”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who represented the dark side of the spoils network. The gunman was a wanderer with a background of professional failures, emotional issues and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, bill collector, religious figure and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning 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. Caught up in the events of the presidential race, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he passed through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, produced an handgun from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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