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Throughout history, the heirs of the 20th US president shared stories about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a transportation hub,” explains one of his family members. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now inspired a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, including Michael Shannon as the president and another skilled actor as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the historical period only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was cut short after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an event now mostly overlooked while the killings of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also influenced his personality and his behavior and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against slavery and advanced to the military position.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was fearless. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would serve 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.

“His oration on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was extremely significant to him.”

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

When the huge assembly was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is extremely rare 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 forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control 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 nation's leader”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was approved. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the negative aspect of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a history of career disappointments, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the events of the political contest, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had earned a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he passed through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an handgun from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the station floor. When a {police officer|law