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Over many years, the descendants of President Garfield spoke proudly about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in books but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now inspired a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, including an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who shot him.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the historical period only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was cut short after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an incident now frequently ignored while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and how he was and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an formal learning.

He studied law, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against slavery and rose to the officer status.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. 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 lived.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would function as a party member for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the legislative arena will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked 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 extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. 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 defeated the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe special for the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of customs official. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who represented the dark side of the patronage system. The gunman was a wanderer with a history of professional failures, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a free-love commune.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Swept up in the events of the political contest, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had earned a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a post 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 four months into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an handgun from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

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