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Over many years, the family members of James Garfield discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now resulted in a streaming series titled the presidential series, starring a talented performer as the national leader and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the historical period only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was cut short after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an event now largely forgotten while the deaths of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also formed his character and his approach and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an education.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against forced servitude and rose to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was absolutely brilliant. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a political representative for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an remarkable speaker and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

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

On the multiple voting round, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Power Struggles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe particular about the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of port authority. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the faction system and for the change movement over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who represented the problematic element of the patronage system. The assassin was a unstable individual with a history of professional failures, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a attorney, financial agent, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the events of the political contest, he created and presented an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned 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 moved through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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