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For generations, the descendants of James Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” explains one of his family members. “We learned about the story in books but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the release 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, including a talented performer as the president and another skilled actor as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the historical period only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His tenure was truncated after only half a year not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an event now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and how he was and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against human bondage and rose to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the time. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would work as a party member for 17 years. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration 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 never thought about it but he was thrust into it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's limited administration was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling insisted on authority over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became 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 selection was approved. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the faction system and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who represented the dark side of the political appointment process. The assassin was a wanderer with a background of career disappointments, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was false belief. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. 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 pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the presidential race, he created and presented an minor oration, and became certain in his thoughts that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a prestigious position. He went to the capital and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an weapon from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “Why is this occurring?” and collapsed on the station floor. When a {police officer|law