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Throughout history, the descendants of the 20th US president discussed openly about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now inspired a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, featuring a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who shot him.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an event now frequently ignored while the killings of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a preacher, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also influenced his personality and his behavior and all the information about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against slavery and progressed to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the period. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a Republican for multiple terms. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a solution. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To appease the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield beat the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe special for 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 defining conflict of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. 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 selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict turned into a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the problematic element of the political appointment process. The gunman was a wanderer with a record of professional failures, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had failed as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a route to achievement: politics. Swept up in the events of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had merited a important role. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his college reunion. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an weapon from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

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