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For generations, the family members of President Garfield shared stories about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, starring Michael Shannon as the national leader and his co-star as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the economic era only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was truncated after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an event now frequently ignored while the deaths of President Lincoln and JFK continue to intrigue the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and how he was and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an formal learning.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against forced servitude and progressed to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was fearless. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would function as a political representative for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a solution. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe particular about the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of customs official. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes 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 outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the party machine 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 stalked by a psychologically troubled person who exemplified the dark side of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a record of career disappointments, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, financial agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that divine selection 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 finally found a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the political contest, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had earned a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his college reunion. As he passed through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and collapsed on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law