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Over many years, the heirs of James Garfield shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now led to a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, including a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the historical period only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was cut short after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an incident now frequently ignored while the deaths of the Civil War president and JFK 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 minister, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and his approach and the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against slavery and advanced to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a party member for nearly two decades. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was very important to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the general election Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Power Struggles

“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 never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a open fight but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the political organization and for the change movement over “boss rule”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the negative aspect of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a history of career disappointments, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, financial agent, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the drama of the presidential race, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had deserved a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he passed through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, produced an handgun from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

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