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Throughout history, the family members of the 20th US president shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” reflects one of his family members. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now led to a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, including a talented performer as the president and another skilled actor as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the economic era only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was cut short after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an incident now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of President Lincoln and JFK continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, 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 the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against human bondage and rose to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would function as a party member for multiple terms. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Power Struggles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is very unusual 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 forced into the role.”

The major battle of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who exemplified the negative aspect of the patronage system. The assassin was a wanderer with a history of career disappointments, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had failed as a legal professional, financial agent, religious figure and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the events of the 1880 election, he created and presented an minor oration, and became certain in his thoughts that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a prestigious position. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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