Chester A. Arthur

NAME Chester A. Arthur

WHAT FAMOUS FOR Chester A. Arthur was the 21st President of the United States, serving from 1881 to 1885. He is known for his efforts to reform the civil service system and for his role in advocating for civil rights for African Americans.

BIRTH Chester Alan Arthur was born on October 5, 1829, in Fairfield, Vermont, United States. He was named "Chester" after Chester Abell, the physician and family friend who assisted in his birth, and "Alan" for his paternal grandfather.

FAMILY BACKGROUND Arthur was the son of William Arthur, an abolitionist preacher in the Free Will Baptists denomination, a group of people that believe in free grace, free salvation and free will, and Malvina Stone Arthur. His father immigrated to the United States from Ireland, while his mother was born in Vermont. Arthur's family had modest means but placed a strong emphasis on education and moral values.

CHILDHOOD Arthur spent his childhood in Vermont, where he was raised in a household deeply involved in community affairs and the anti-slavery movement.

EDUCATION He attended Union College in Schenectady, New York, where he excelled academically and developed an interest in law.

CAREER RECORD After completing his education, Arthur moved to New York City to pursue a career in law. After a detour into education, where Arthur briefly held the grand title of Principal at the rather modestly sized North Pownal Academy (think classrooms in his dad's church basement), destiny took a turn. Arthur, by some twist of fate, ended up as the lawyer for Elizabeth Jennings Graham, a Black woman who simply wanted a seat on a segregated streetcar. Arthur, to everyone's surprise, won the case, and poof! Desegregated streetcars for all of New York. Not a bad first foray into law.

Roscoe Conkling, a powerful senator who took Arthur under his wing. Soon, Arthur found himself as the Collector of the Port of New York, a fancy way of saying he raked in the big bucks for the government. But then came reform and a new president, Rutherford B. Hayes, who gave Arthur the boot. Ouch.

Luckily, political fortunes can change faster than a New York minute. James Garfield, the next Republican nominee for president, needed a vice president to balance the ticket. Enter Arthur, somewhat reluctantly. Then, tragedy struck. Garfield got shot, succumbed to his wounds, and before you could say "constitutional crisis," Chester A. Arthur, the man who once brawled over politics, was sworn in as the 21st president.

President Arthur, it turned out, was a bit of a reformer himself. He championed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, which aimed to take the patronage (read: political bribery) out of government jobs. He also oversaw a Navy revival, which was good, because let's face it, a country needs a decent Navy. But he wasn't everyone's cup of tea. The ever-growing federal budget surplus? Not tackled to everyone's satisfaction. And then there was the Chinese Exclusion Act, a law that slammed the door shut on Chinese immigration for decades – a real black mark on his record.

His resume is as follows:

Lawyer in New York City

Quartermaster General of New York during the Civil War

Collector of the Port of New York (1871-1878)

20th Vice President of the United States (1881)

21st President of the United States (1881-1885)

APPEARANCE Arthur was known for his distinctive appearance, and fashionable attire. He was tall and distinguished with a neatly groomed beard, mustache  and sideburns. 

Chester A Arthur

FASHION Arthur was known for his impeccable fashion sense, often seen wearing tailored suits and stylish accessories. earning him the nickname "Elegant Arthur." He had an ahem, extensive pants collection. 80 pairs! The man had more trousers than a haberdashery.

CHARACTER Arthur was described as affable, charming, and diplomatic, with a knack for building consensus and maintaining good relationships with colleagues and political allies.

SENSE OF HUMOR Arthur was known to possess a dry humor, which he often used to diffuse tension in political situations. He was a witty storyteller 

RELATIONSHIPS Arthur  married Ellen "Nell" Herndon on October 25, 1859, at Calvary Episcopal Church in New York City. Their place on Lexington Avenue became famous for the shindigs they threw. Big social gatherings were their thing. 

They had three children together, though tragedy struck early on when one, poor little William, died at just two and a half from convulsions. A terrible blow.

Sadly, Nell never got to see Chester take the big seat. Pneumonia took her before he even became vice president in 1880. 

With Nell gone, Chester's sister, Mary, stepped in as the White House hostess during his presidency. But Chester never forgot his wife. Every single day he was in the White House, he had fresh flowers placed in front of Nell's portrait. 

MONEY AND FAME Arthur enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle but was not excessively wealthy. His fame came primarily from his political career and his tenure as President of the United States.

Arthur had a taste for the finer things. He brought in Louis Comfort Tiffany, the Tiffany guy, to redecorate the White House. To fund this fancy makeover, he even held a White House yard sale (or, as they delicately called it, a "public auction"). Imagine Abraham Lincoln's pants going up for grabs!

FOOD AND DRINK Arthur was known to enjoy fine dining and appreciated gourmet cuisine.

MUSIC AND ARTS He had a fondness for classical music and supported the arts during his presidency.

LITERATURE Arthur was an avid reader and had a particular interest in history and political philosophy.

NATURE He enjoyed spending time outdoors and was known to appreciate the natural beauty of the American landscape.

HOBBIES AND SPORTS Arthur enjoyed horseback riding and billiards and was an enthusiastic supporter of various sports, including baseball.

SCIENCE AND MATHS While not a scientist or mathematician himself, Arthur supported initiatives to advance scientific research and education during his presidency.

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY Arthur's political philosophy was rooted in the principles of liberty, equality, and justice. He was a firm believer in the Constitution and the rule of law.

Arthur taking the oath of office at his home

A moderate abolitionist, as a lawyer, Arthur defended several runaway slaves and was an early activist in the New York Republican party.

Arthur was raised in a religious household, but his personal beliefs are not well documented

SCANDAL Arthur's presidency was overshadowed by accusations of corruption and cronyism, particularly regarding his involvement in the New York City Customs House.

MILITARY RECORD The Civil War saw Arthur as a quartermaster general, a title that sounds ripped from the pages of a Tolkien novel but basically meant he wrangled supplies for the state's troops. He did this with surprising efficiency and honesty, which wasn't always a given in those days. This earned him a coveted spot in the New York Republican organization, a stepping stone to bigger things.

He worked to modernize the U.S. Navy and improve infrastructure during his presidency.

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Arthur struggled with health issues in his later life, including Bright's disease, a kidney ailment that eventually led to his death.

HOMES Arthur lived in various residences throughout his life, including in New York City, Albany, New York and Washington, D.C.

TRAVEL As president, Arthur traveled extensively throughout the United States, visiting various states and participating in ceremonial events.

LAST YEARS AND DEATH Chester A. Arthur battled Bright's disease, a nasty kidney ailment, throughout his presidency, keeping it all under wraps. He even made a half-hearted run for reelection in 1884, but ill health and, let's be honest, a lack of enthusiasm, put the kibosh on that.

Leaving office in 1885, Arthur retreated to New York, a respected but not exactly beloved figure. By 1886, his health had deteriorated further, and on a fateful November day, he ordered a bonfire of his personal and political papers. The next day, a stroke robbed him of consciousness, and the following day, November 18, 1886, at the young age of 57, Chester A. Arthur passed away. 

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA Arthur has been depicted in various films, television shows, and literature, often as a supporting character in stories about American history and politics.

ACHIEVEMENTS Signed the Pendleton Civil Service Act, reforming the federal employment system.

Oversaw a period of economic growth and naval expansion.

Championed civil rights for African Americans.