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Over many years, the heirs of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his impressive career but seldom discussed his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in publications but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now inspired a television production titled Death by Lightning, starring a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the economic era only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His tenure was truncated after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an event now frequently ignored while the killings of President Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and his behavior and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against forced servitude and rose to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the era. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to depart military life when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a party member for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a rush of supporters made Garfield the surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon 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 thrust into it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of port authority. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He nominated a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a visible struggle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, 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 “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the negative aspect of the political appointment process. The gunman was a wanderer with a record of career disappointments, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, bill collector, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. 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 finally found a route to achievement: politics. Swept up in the drama of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had merited a high-level government job. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield shouted: “What's happening?” and dropped on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law