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For generations, the family members of James Garfield spoke proudly about his impressive career but avoided talking about his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his family members. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now inspired a streaming series titled the presidential series, starring an acclaimed actor as the national leader and his co-star as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His tenure was cut short after only half a year not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an event now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of the Civil War president 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 preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and his approach and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against human bondage and advanced to the military position.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the period. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would serve as a party member for nearly two decades. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe particular about the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was thrust into it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over political positions 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 executive of the United States”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the negative aspect of the spoils network. The assassin was a drifter with a history of career disappointments, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, financial agent, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the events of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his college reunion. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an handgun from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

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