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Throughout history, the heirs of James Garfield discussed openly about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” notes one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the release of a historical book, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now led to a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, including an acclaimed actor as the national leader and his co-star as the drifter who shot him.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the economic era only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was truncated after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an incident now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a lawyer, he was a preacher, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also influenced his personality and how he was and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an education.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against human bondage and advanced to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the time. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to leave army service when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a Republican for 17 years. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an remarkable speaker and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a solution. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a rush of supporters made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the general election Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is very unusual and maybe special for the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was thrust into it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the dark side of the political appointment process. The assassin was a wanderer with a background of professional failures, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a attorney, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

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

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a high-level government job. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he passed through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an weapon from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

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