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For generations, the descendants of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” explains one of his family members. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now led to a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, including Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the wanderer who shot him.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the economic era only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an incident now largely forgotten while the killings of President Lincoln and JFK 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 preacher, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and his approach and the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against human bondage and rose to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the period. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the floor of Congress will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman caught their attention. 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 multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the shocking choice. To appease the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration 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 entirely ignored the possibility but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of port authority. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation escalated into a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who exemplified the problematic element of the patronage system. The assassin was a unstable individual with a history of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the drama of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had earned a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On the tragic date, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his college reunion. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an weapon from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “What's happening?” and fell on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law