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Throughout history, the descendants of the 20th US president discussed openly about his impressive career but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, featuring a talented performer as the national leader and another skilled actor as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His tenure was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an incident now mostly overlooked while the killings of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and his behavior and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds for an education.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against human bondage and progressed to the military position.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the period. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would serve as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman impressed them. 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 extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe special for the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of customs official. Garfield declined, 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 confrontation turned into a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the problematic element of the spoils network. The gunman was a drifter with a history of professional failures, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity 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 failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the events of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a important role. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “Why is this occurring?” and dropped on the station floor. When a {police officer|law