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Over many years, the heirs of James Garfield discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” reflects one of his family members. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now led to a television production titled the presidential series, featuring a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the economic era only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His time in office was truncated after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an event now largely forgotten while the deaths of President Lincoln and JFK 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 religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also formed his character and his approach and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against forced servitude and advanced to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the time. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was elected to the Congress, where he would function as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the realization of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a solution. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a wave of backers 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 presidential race Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is very unusual and maybe unique to the American presidency is he didn't want the job. 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 “patronage network”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of port authority. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict turned into a open fight but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was confirmed. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the dark side of the spoils network. The assassin was a drifter with a record of professional failures, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that divine selection for importance. He actually had financially a better start 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. Swept up in the excitement of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had merited a important role. He went to the capital and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an weapon from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield cried out: “What's happening?” and dropped on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law