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Over many years, the descendants of President Garfield spoke proudly about his impressive career but avoided talking about his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” notes one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now led to a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, featuring Michael Shannon as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the historical period only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His presidency was cut short after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an event now mostly overlooked while the deaths of President Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and his behavior and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against forced servitude and advanced to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the era. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was elected to the Congress, where he would serve as a political representative for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a compromise. Garfield's emotional address 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 extended selection process, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield beat the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“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 completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of customs official. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a psychologically troubled person who represented the dark side of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a history of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his unique form of delusion was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the drama of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had merited a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he moved through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an weapon from his clothing 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