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Throughout history, the descendants of James Garfield shared stories about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” notes one of his family members. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now led to a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, starring Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the drifter who shot him.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the historical period only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an incident now largely forgotten while the killings of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to intrigue the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a lawyer, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and how he was and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an schooling.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against slavery and advanced to the military position.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was elected to the Congress, where he would function as a party member for nearly two decades. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a solution. Garfield's emotional address nominating Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, 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 satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict turned into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the negative aspect of the patronage system. The assassin was a drifter with a record of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a pathway to success: politics. Carried away in the events of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had deserved a high-level government job. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an weapon from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

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