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Over many years, the descendants of the 20th US president shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his family members. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now inspired a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, featuring an acclaimed actor as the president and another skilled actor as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the economic era only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His presidency was cut short after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the deaths of President Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a minister, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and how he was and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an formal learning.

He studied law, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against slavery and progressed to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the time. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to depart military life when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a Republican for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare 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 forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the party machine and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a psychologically troubled person who exemplified the problematic element of the patronage system. The assassin was a wanderer with a background of occupational setbacks, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had failed as a legal professional, financial agent, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the events of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had earned a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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