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For generations, the heirs of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This shifted 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 Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, including Michael Shannon as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the historical period only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the deaths of President Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and how he was and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds 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 educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against slavery and rose to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the time. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would function as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a solution. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman caught their attention. 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 extended selection process, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is very unusual 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 central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He nominated a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who exemplified the problematic element of the political appointment process. The assassin was a drifter with a history of professional failures, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had failed as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a route to achievement: 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 reasoning, Guiteau determined he had earned a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his college reunion. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield cried out: “My God, what is this?” and fell on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law