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Over many years, the family members of President Garfield spoke proudly about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, including Michael Shannon as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was cut short after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an incident now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a legal professional, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and how he was and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against slavery and advanced to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to depart military life when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a political representative for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will tear your heart out. He was an remarkable speaker and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a solution. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe particular about the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was forced into the role.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who represented the dark side of the political appointment process. The gunman was a wanderer with a history of occupational setbacks, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, bill collector, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. 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 finally found a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the events 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 earned a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his college reunion. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an handgun from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield cried out: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law