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Throughout history, the heirs of President Garfield spoke proudly about his impressive career but seldom discussed his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We studied the story in publications but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now inspired a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, featuring a talented performer as the president and another skilled actor as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the economic era only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was cut short after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an event now mostly overlooked while the killings of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to intrigue 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 agriculturalist. He was so many things which also formed his character and his approach and the complete story 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 the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against human bondage and rose to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the era. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to leave army service when he was elected to the Congress, where he would function as a party member for 17 years. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the floor of Congress will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a solution. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman won them over. 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 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 second in command. In the national vote Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe particular about the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted 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 ratified. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the faction system and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the dark side of the patronage system. The assassin was a unstable individual with a history of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had failed as a lawyer, bill collector, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the events of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a important role. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he moved through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an weapon from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield shouted: “What's happening?” and fell on the station floor. When a {police officer|law