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For generations, the descendants of President Garfield spoke proudly about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in publications but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now led to a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, including an acclaimed actor as the president and his co-star as the unstable individual who shot him.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an event now largely forgotten while the killings of the Civil War president and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also formed his character and how he was and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against human bondage and rose to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the period. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a party member for nearly two decades. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a solution. Garfield's emotional address nominating Sherman won them over. 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 rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield beat the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is extremely rare and maybe particular about the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the faction system and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the problematic element of the patronage system. The assassin was a unstable individual with a record of professional failures, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, financial agent, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the events of the presidential race, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a high-level government job. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he moved through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, produced an weapon from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

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