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Throughout history, the family members of the 20th US president shared stories about his impressive career but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” notes one of his family members. “We learned about the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the release of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now inspired a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, featuring Michael Shannon as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who shot him.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an incident now mostly overlooked while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and his approach and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing 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 very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against human bondage and progressed to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the period. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to leave army service when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a party member for multiple terms. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a military promise.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will affect you emotionally. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a compromise. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe special for the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the negative aspect of the patronage system. The gunman was a unstable individual with a history of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, bill collector, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the events of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had deserved a important role. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his college reunion. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an handgun from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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