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Over many years, the family members of the 20th US president shared stories about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” reflects one of his family members. “We read about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now led to a streaming series titled the historical drama, starring an acclaimed actor as the president and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His tenure was truncated after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the killings of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a minister, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also influenced his personality and how he was and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against slavery and rose to the military position.

“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 decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to leave army service when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would function as a political representative for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began seeking a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe particular about the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the negative aspect of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a history of professional failures, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the drama of the political contest, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had merited a high-level government job. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he passed through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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