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Over many years, the heirs of President Garfield spoke proudly about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in publications but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now inspired a television production titled Death by Lightning, featuring an acclaimed actor as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the economic era only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His time in office was cut short after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a lawyer, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and his approach 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 the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against human bondage and progressed to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would serve as a political representative for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“Garfield's potential greatness 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 never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict turned into a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the political organization and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the dark side of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a background of career disappointments, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a attorney, bill collector, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for significance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the events of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had merited a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an handgun from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield cried out: “Why is this occurring?” and fell on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law