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For generations, the descendants of James Garfield spoke proudly about his impressive career but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” explains one of his family members. “We learned about the story in books but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now resulted in a television production titled the historical drama, starring a talented performer as the president and his co-star as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the historical period only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an event now mostly overlooked while the deaths of President Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a religious leader, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and how he was and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds for an education.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against slavery and progressed to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the era. He was caring. 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 leave army service when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a Republican for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a rush of supporters made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of customs official. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the political organization and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the problematic element of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a record of career disappointments, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the drama of the 1880 election, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had earned a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an weapon from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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