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Over many years, the heirs of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” explains one of his family members. “We studied the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the release of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now led to a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, starring an acclaimed actor as the national leader and another skilled actor as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the economic era only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was truncated after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an event now largely forgotten while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and his approach and all the information about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing 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 just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an education.

He studied law, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against forced servitude and rose to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would function as a party member for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a military promise.

“His oration on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a solution. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield beat the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to 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 defining conflict of Garfield's limited administration was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation escalated into a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the problematic element of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a record of professional failures, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a legal professional, financial agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that divine selection for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the events of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had merited a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance 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 departing the capital for his college reunion. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an handgun from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

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