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Over many years, the descendants of President Garfield shared stories about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” reflects one of his family members. “We studied the story in books but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the release of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now led to a television production titled Death by Lightning, including an acclaimed actor as the president and another skilled actor as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the economic era only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His time in office was truncated after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an event now frequently ignored while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a legal professional, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also formed his character and his behavior and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an schooling.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against human bondage and progressed to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was elected to the Congress, where he would work as a party member for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a solution. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was forced into the role.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling insisted on authority over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a open fight but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the change movement over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the negative aspect of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a background of career disappointments, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, financial agent, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that religious calling 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 at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the drama of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had merited a important role. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

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