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Throughout history, the descendants of the 20th US president shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” explains one of his family members. “We read about the story in publications but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now inspired a television production titled Death by Lightning, including an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the economic era only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His presidency was cut short after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the killings of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, 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 family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an schooling.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against human bondage and progressed to the military position.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the period. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was selected to the Congress, where he would function as a party member 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 conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked 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, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a wave of backers made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Power Struggles

“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 entirely ignored the possibility but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict turned into a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the political organization and for the change movement over “boss rule”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the problematic element of the political appointment process. The gunman was a drifter with a background of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, financial agent, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the events of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had earned a high-level government job. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an handgun from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

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