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Throughout history, the descendants of the 20th US president shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was shot in a transportation hub,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now inspired a streaming series titled the historical drama, starring Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the economic era only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His tenure was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now frequently ignored while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln 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 legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also influenced his personality and his approach and the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against slavery and advanced to the military position.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was innovative for the era. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would function as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the legislative arena will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was very important to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a solution. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “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 second in command. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe particular about the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was confirmed. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the negative aspect of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a history of professional failures, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, bill collector, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the drama of the presidential race, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a high-level government job. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, 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, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law