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Throughout history, the descendants of James Garfield discussed openly about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now inspired a television production titled the historical drama, including a talented performer as the national leader and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the historical period only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was cut short after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an incident now frequently ignored while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a religious leader, he was a farmer. He was so many things which also formed his character and his behavior and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against forced servitude and progressed to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was selected to the Congress, where he would function as a Republican for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a middle ground. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the shocking choice. To appease the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of port authority. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the negative aspect of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a background of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had failed as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for importance. 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 at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — 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 Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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