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Over many years, the family members of President Garfield shared stories about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now resulted in a television production titled the historical drama, featuring Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the economic era only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His tenure was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an event now frequently ignored while the deaths of President Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a farmer. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and his approach and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an education.

He studied law, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against forced servitude and advanced to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the time. He was caring. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would work as a political representative for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield beat the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe special for the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the prestigious role of port authority. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a visible struggle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the negative aspect of the political appointment process. The gunman was a unstable individual with a background of occupational setbacks, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a attorney, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for importance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Carried away in the events of the political contest, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had earned a important role. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an handgun from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “Why is this occurring?” and dropped on the station floor. When a {police officer|law