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Over many years, the heirs of President Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now inspired a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, featuring a talented performer as the president and another skilled actor as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the economic era only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an event now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and his behavior and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against slavery and rose to the officer status.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the time. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader 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 strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a military promise.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a audience member 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 political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe special for 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 brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a open fight but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the faction system and for the cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the dark side of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a record of professional failures, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had failed as a attorney, financial agent, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had earned a prestigious position. He went to the capital and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an handgun from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

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