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Throughout history, the family members of James Garfield discussed openly about his impressive career but seldom discussed his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now resulted in a television production titled the historical drama, featuring a talented performer as the president and his co-star as the drifter who shot him.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the economic era only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His time in office was cut short after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an tragedy now frequently ignored while the deaths of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and his approach and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against forced servitude and rose to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the time. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was elected to the Congress, where he would work as a Republican for 17 years. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's emotional address nominating 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 36th ballot, a rush of supporters made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe particular about the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was forced into the role.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who represented the dark side of the political appointment process. The assassin was a unstable individual with a background of career disappointments, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a attorney, bill collector, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the events of the political contest, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became certain in his thoughts that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had deserved 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 position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he passed through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and collapsed on the station floor. When a {police officer|law