Chester A. Arthur
21st President of the United States
(September 19, 1881 to March 3, 1885)
Nickname: "The Gentleman Boss"; "Elegant Arthur"
Born: October 5, 1829, in Fairfield, Vermont
Died: November 18, 1886, in New York, New York
Father: William Arthur (1796-1875)
Mother: Malvina Stone Arthur (1902-1869)
Married: Ellen Lewis Herndon (1837-1880), on October 25, 1859
Children: William Lewis Herndon Arthur (1860-63); Chester Alan Arthur (1864-1937); Ellen Herndon Arthur (1871-1915)
Religion: Episcopalian
Education: Graduated from Union College (1848)
Occupation: Lawyer
Political Party: Republican
Other Government Positions:
- Vice president, 1881 (under Garfield)
Presidential Salary: $50,000/year
Presidential Election Results:
Never ran for president.
Vice President: None
Cabinet:
- Secretary of State
- James G. Blaine (1881)
Frederick T. Frelinghuysen (1881-85) - Secretary of the Treasury
- William Windom (1881)
Charles J. Folger (1881-84)
Walter Q. Gresham (1884)
Hugh McCulloch (1884-85) - Secretary of War
- Robert Todd Lincoln (1881-85)
- Attorney General
- I. Wayne McVeagh (1881)
Benjamin H. Brewster (1882-85) - Postmaster General
- Thomas L. James (1881-82)
Timothy O. Howe (1882-83)
Walter Q. Gresham (1883-84)
Frank Hatton (1884-85) - Secretary of the Navy
- William H. Hunt (1881-82)
William E. Chandler (1882-85) - Secretary of the Interior
- Samuel J. Kirkwood (1881-82)
Henry M. Teller (1882-85)
Supreme Court Justices:
Horace Gray (1882-1902)
Samuel Blatchford (1882-1893)
Notable Events:
- 1882
- On January 25, Garfield's assassin, Charles Guiteau convicted. He is executed on June 30.
- 1883
- On January 16, Arthur signed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act that mandated federal jobs are awarded on merit and not political affiliation.
- 1885
- On February 21, the Washington Monument is dedicated 37 years after construction began.
Internet Biographies:
- Chester A. Arthur -- from The Presidents of the United States of America
- Compiled by the White House.
- Chester A. Arthur -- from The American President
- From the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia, in addition to information on the Presidents themselves, they have first lady and cabinet member biographies, listings of presidential staff and advisers, and timelines detailing significant events in the lives of each administration.
- Chester A. Arthur -- from Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Facts about Arthur and his presidency.
Videos:
America's Presidents - Chester A. ArthurChester A. Arthur | 60-Second Presidents | PBSBorn in the USA?Presidents in Our Backyard -- Chester Arthur Clip #1
Other Internet Resources:
- The Best Biographies of Chester Arthur
- In 2012, Stephen Floyd started his search for the best biography of each president. He usually has reviews of multiple biographies for each president.
- Chester Arthur State Historic Site
- The believe location of Arthur's birth includes a replica farm house and his father's church.
- Health and Medical History of Chester Arthur
- Medical background of each president with references. Compiled by John Sotos, MD.
- The Mystery of Chester Alan Arthur's Birthplace
- From the Vermont Historical Society, Thomas C. Reeves asks if Arthur was born in Vermont or Canada.
Points of Interest:
4588 Chester A Arthur Rd, Fairfield, VT 05455
Albany Rural Cemetery
Cemetery Ave, Albany, NY 12204
4588 Chester A Arthur Rd, Fairfield, VT 05455
Albany Rural Cemetery
Cemetery Ave, Albany, NY 12204
Additional Facts:
- A 24-year-old Arthur, then a junior partner at Culver, Parker and Arthur law firm, successfully represented Lizzie Jennings, who was forcibly removed from a streetcar in 1854 because of her skin color.
- Arthur was diagnosed with Bright’s Disease not long after he became president.
- Arthur hired Louis Comfort Tiffany to redecorate and furnish the White House.
- Arthur owned at least 80 pairs of pants.
- Arthur installed the first elevator in the White House.
- Days before he died, Arthur burned all of his personal and official papers.
Quotes:“If it were not for the reporters, I would tell you the truth.”
“I may be president of the United States, but my private life is nobody’s damned business.”
“If it were not for the reporters, I would tell you the truth.”
“I may be president of the United States, but my private life is nobody’s damned business.”