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Over many years, the heirs of James Garfield spoke proudly about his impressive career but avoided talking about his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a transportation hub,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now inspired a television production titled Death by Lightning, including Michael Shannon as the national leader and another skilled actor as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His tenure was cut short after only half a year not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an event now mostly overlooked while the killings of the Civil War president and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and his behavior and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against human bondage and advanced to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Public Life and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a solution. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is very unusual 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 forced into the role.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a open fight 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 candidate was approved. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the problematic element of the spoils network. The assassin was a unstable individual with a background of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had failed as a lawyer, financial agent, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the events of the 1880 election, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had merited a important role. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his college reunion. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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