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Throughout history, the family members of James Garfield spoke proudly about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” notes one of his family members. “We read about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now inspired a streaming series titled the presidential series, including an acclaimed actor as the president and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was truncated after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the killings of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue 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 minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and how he was and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an formal learning.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against forced servitude and rose to the military position.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was selected to the Congress, where he would function as a party member for multiple terms. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this issue was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech 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 multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual 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 forced into the role.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a visible struggle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the negative aspect of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a record of career disappointments, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the events of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had merited a important role. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, produced an weapon from his coat pocket 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