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Over many years, the heirs of James Garfield spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was shot in a transportation hub,” notes one of his family members. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now inspired a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, including an acclaimed actor as the president and another skilled actor as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an incident now mostly overlooked while the deaths of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was multiple professions which also influenced his personality and how he was and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against human bondage and progressed to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was fearless. He was innovative for the time. He was caring. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a party member for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a rush of supporters made Garfield the surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is extremely rare and maybe particular about the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was forced into the role.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the problematic element of the patronage system. The assassin was a drifter with a history of career disappointments, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a lawyer, financial agent, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the drama of the political contest, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an weapon from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield cried out: “What's happening?” and dropped on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law