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Throughout history, the heirs of the 20th US president shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We studied the story in books but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the release of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now inspired a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, featuring a talented performer as the national leader and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the historical period only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was cut short after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an event now frequently ignored while the killings of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and his approach and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an education.

He studied law, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against human bondage and progressed to the military position.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a political representative for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the floor of Congress will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to 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 major battle of Garfield's brief term was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He proposed a opponent 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 quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the problematic element of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a record of career disappointments, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. 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 pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the 1880 election, he created and presented an minor oration, and became certain in his thoughts that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had merited a important role. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the station floor. When a {police officer|law