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Over many years, the descendants of President Garfield spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” explains one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, featuring a talented performer as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was truncated after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an event now largely forgotten while the assassinations of the Civil War president and JFK continue to intrigue the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also formed his character and how he was and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against forced servitude and advanced to the military position.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was absolutely brilliant. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the time. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a party member for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “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 rush of supporters made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy 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 elected president.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe particular about the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of port authority. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict turned into a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the faction system and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

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 embodied the dark side of the spoils network. The gunman was a wanderer with a background of career disappointments, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, bill collector, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the events of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became certain in his thoughts that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a important role. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a position 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 the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he passed through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an handgun from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

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