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For generations, the heirs of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” notes one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now resulted in a streaming series titled the historical drama, featuring a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the historical period only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an event now largely forgotten while the assassinations of President Lincoln and JFK continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and his approach and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an education.

He studied law, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against forced servitude and advanced to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a solution. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, 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 surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield beat the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is very unusual and maybe unique to the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was forced into the role.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was approved. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the dark side of the spoils network. The gunman was a wanderer with a history of career disappointments, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had failed as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a route to achievement: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had merited a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he passed through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, produced an handgun from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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