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For generations, the descendants of James Garfield shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in books but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now inspired a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, including Michael Shannon as the national leader and his co-star as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the economic era only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His time in office was cut short after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an event now frequently ignored while the deaths of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also formed his character and his behavior and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution 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 forced servitude and advanced to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a political representative for 17 years. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was very important to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a compromise. Garfield's emotional address proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, representatives, 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 surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great 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 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 “patronage network”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of port authority. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a open fight but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who represented the negative aspect of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a background of professional failures, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, financial agent, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had earned a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — 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 four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an handgun from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield cried out: “My God, what is this?” and collapsed on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law