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Over many years, the descendants of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” explains one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in books but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled the presidential series, including an acclaimed actor as the national leader and his co-star as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the economic era only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His time in office was truncated after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an incident now largely forgotten while the killings 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 a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and how he was and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against slavery and progressed to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to depart military life when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a party member for multiple terms. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this matter 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 James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield beat the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great 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 pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the prestigious role of customs official. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation escalated into a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the party machine and for the change movement over “boss rule”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the dark side of the patronage system. The assassin was a wanderer with a record of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had failed as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that divine selection for importance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the drama of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had earned a prestigious position. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an weapon from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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