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Over many years, the descendants of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” notes one of his family members. “We learned about the story in publications but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now led to a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, including an acclaimed actor as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who shot him.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the economic era only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was truncated after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an event now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and his behavior and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against human bondage and rose to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the era. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a Republican for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, 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, delegates began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe unique to the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was thrust into it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of customs official. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation escalated into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the faction system and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who represented the negative aspect of the political appointment process. The assassin was a unstable individual with a history of occupational setbacks, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, financial agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was false belief. He always believed that divine selection for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a route to achievement: politics. Swept up in the events of the political contest, he created and presented 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 earned a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — 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 Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an weapon from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield cried out: “What's happening?” and collapsed on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law