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Throughout history, the descendants of James Garfield shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in publications but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now resulted in a television production titled the historical drama, featuring an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was truncated after only half a year not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an incident now frequently ignored while the killings of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“You can't help but be proud 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 formed his character and how he was and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an formal learning.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against slavery and advanced to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the period. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a political representative for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a solution. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe particular about the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling insisted on authority over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the negative aspect of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a history of professional failures, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, bill collector, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the events of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became certain in his thoughts that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had merited a important role. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he passed through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “What's happening?” and dropped on the station floor. When a {police officer|law