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For generations, the heirs of the 20th US president shared stories about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now resulted in a television production titled the historical drama, starring an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the economic era only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an event now frequently ignored while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect 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 formed his character and his behavior and the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against human bondage and advanced to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a political representative for multiple terms. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a military promise.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a solution. Garfield's emotional address proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield defeated 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 extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the dark side of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a history of professional failures, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for importance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had deserved a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an handgun from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield cried out: “Why is this occurring?” and fell on the station floor. When a {police officer|law