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Throughout history, the heirs of the 20th US president shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now inspired a television production titled the historical drama, starring an acclaimed actor as the national leader and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to fascinate 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 religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also formed his character and his behavior and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an formal learning.

He studied law, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against slavery and rose to the military position.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual 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 chosen to the Congress, where he would serve as a Republican for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this issue was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield beat the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The defining conflict 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 powerful and lucrative post of customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He nominated a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the faction system and for the change movement over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the negative aspect of the patronage system. The assassin was a drifter with a background of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had failed as a legal professional, bill collector, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for importance. 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 at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the drama of the presidential race, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a important role. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting 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 Shooting and Doctor Errors

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and fell on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law