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Over many years, the descendants of the 20th US president discussed openly about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a transportation hub,” explains one of his family members. “We learned about the story in books but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now led to a television production titled Death by Lightning, including an acclaimed actor as the national leader and another skilled actor as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the economic era only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was truncated after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now frequently ignored while the deaths of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and his behavior and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an education.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against human bondage and progressed to the military position.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would work 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 conflict agreement.

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

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman caught their attention. 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 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the general election Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the dark side of the patronage system. The assassin was a drifter with a record of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, bill collector, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was mentally ill and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that divine selection 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 route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the events of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had deserved a high-level government job. He went to the capital and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield shouted: “Why is this occurring?” and dropped on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law