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Throughout history, the descendants of the 20th US president shared stories about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” notes one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in publications but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now inspired a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, featuring an acclaimed actor as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who shot him.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the historical period only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was cut short after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the assassinations of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a lawyer, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and his behavior and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against forced servitude and rose to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the period. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would function as a party member for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a compromise. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To appease the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield beat the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was forced into the role.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He nominated a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the faction system and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who exemplified the dark side of the political appointment process. The gunman was a wanderer with a background of career disappointments, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had failed as a lawyer, bill collector, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the drama of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had merited a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he moved through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an handgun from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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