Arthur was born to William Arthur, a Baptist preacher, andMalvina Stone Arthur. https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/chester-a-arthur/?utm_source=link, Office of the United States Trade Representative. He had six sisters and a brother. Charles James Folger (from November 14, 1881), Benjamin Harris Brewster (from January 3, 1882). The act establishes the Republicans as the party in favor of higher protective tariffs. [19][c] The family remained in Fairfield until 1832, when William Arthur's profession took them to churches in several towns in Vermont and upstate New York. [12] William graduated from college in Belfast and migrated to the Province of Lower Canada in 1819 or 1820. Definition and Examples, Biography of Donald Trump, 45th President of the United States, Presidents Who Served After the Civil War, Biography of Richard Nixon, 37th President of the United States, Biography of James A. Garfield, 20th President of the United States, Biography of Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the United States, Biography of James Buchanan, 15th President of the United States, Biography of Andrew Jackson, 7th President of the United States, The Most Important Inventions of the Industrial Revolution. Summary of President Chester Arthur for Kids: "Walrus" Summary: Chester Arthur (1829-1886), nicknamed the "Walrus" or "The Dude President", was the 21st American President and served in office from 1881-1885. [164] Legislation required to bring the treaty into force failed in the House, however, rendering it a dead letter. 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. Although Chester Arthur had risen to power through machine politics, once in the White House he surprised Americans (and alienated Conkling and other supporters) by moving past partisanship. The Democratic National Convention meets in Chicago, nominating Grover Cleveland and Thomas A. Hendricks for President and vice president, respectively. All rights reserved. Following the war, he devoted more time to New York Republican politics and quickly rose in Senator Roscoe Conkling's political organization. [100] Arthur immediately took advantage of the resulting free time to work for the election of Edward Cooper as New York City's next mayor. He became a lawyer, served as an engineer in the American Civil War, and later became Collector of the Port of New York, where he was responsible for supervising the collecting of import duties on goods coming into the United States. [202] The vacation had the opposite effect, and Arthur suffered from intense pain before returning to Washington. [138], Arthur's sister, Mary Arthur McElroy, served as White House hostess for her widowed brother;[138] Arthur became Washington's most eligible bachelor and his social life became the subject of rumors, though romantically, he remained singularly devoted to the memory of his late wife. After leaving office, Arthur retired to New York City. [72] The Collector was responsible for hiring hundreds of workers to collect the tariffs due at the United States' busiest port. Under this system, elected officials rewarded their supporters with political appointments in their administrations. . He served as quartermaster general of the New York Militia during the American Civil War. [196] Garfield had believed polygamy was criminal behavior and was morally detrimental to family values, and Arthur's views were, for once, in line with his predecessor's. The landmark victory led to a New York law forbidding discrimination in public transportation. By the 1880s, this system had grown incredibly corrupt, and many were pressing for reform. When Arthur was nominated for vice president in 1880, a New York attorney and political opponent, Arthur P. Hinman, initially speculated that Arthur was born in Ireland and did not come to the United States until he was fourteen years old. [116] As Republicans had done since the end of the Civil War, Garfield and Arthur initially focused their campaign on the "bloody shirt"the idea that returning Democrats to office would undo the victory of the Civil War and reward secessionists. [149] Republicans lost seats in the 1882 congressional elections, in which Democrats campaigned on the reform issue. Arthur, in turn, gave government jobs to Conklings supporters, who contributed part of their salaries to the Republican Party. To counter Conkling's opposition, Hayes bided his time, finally suspending Arthur after Congress had adjourned for the summer. Opt in to send and receive text messages from President Biden. Dignified, tall, and handsome, with clean-shaven chin and side-whiskers, Chester A. Arthur looked like a President.. [31][d][32][e][33] When Hinman's original story did not take root, he spread a new rumor that Arthur was born in Canada. On October 25, 1859, Arthur was married toEllen "Nell" Lewis Herndon. For his son, see. All Rights Reserved. Political opponent of the President and former secretary of state James G. Blaine defeats Arthur for the nomination; John A. Logan is selected as vice president. Arthur was born in Vermont in 1829 and was the son of a Baptist preacher. Born in Vermont on October 5, 1829, Chester A. Arthur lived in New York for most of his life. [62] Morgan leaned toward the conservative wing of the New York Republican party, as did the men who worked with him in the organization, including Weed, Seward (who continued in office under President Andrew Johnson), and Roscoe Conkling (an eloquent Utica Congressman and rising star in the party). [60] In the presidential election of 1864, Arthur and Murphy raised funds from Republicans in New York, and they attended the second inauguration of Abraham Lincoln in 1865. Sometime around 1882, Arthur learned he was suffering from Brights disease, a serious kidney ailment. [227], Arthur's unpopularity in life carried over into his assessment by historians and his reputation after leaving office disappeared. Let's look at each of these in a bit more detail. [7][8] Arthur has also been described as one of the least memorable presidents. The commission found political favoritism and blatant patronage governing appointments, exposed the practice of salary kickbacks, and charged the port authority with being criminally overstaffed. As a student, he engaged in undergraduate high jinks and enjoyed playing school pranks. The President Chester A. Arthur State Historic Site was the first historic site owned by the State of Vermont. Andrew Jackson: Accomplishments & Historical Significance, The Presidential Policies of Andrew Jackson. On September 19, 1881, President Garfield died of blood poisoning after being shot by Charles Guiteau. In 1845, he enrolled at Union College. A Vermont native, he became active in Republican politics in the 1850s as a New York City lawyer. Burt. [59] Both children survived to adulthood. [190] Since the end of Reconstruction, conservative white Democrats (or "Bourbon Democrats") had regained power in the South, and the Republican party dwindled rapidly as their primary supporters in the region, blacks, were disenfranchised. Chester Arthur was selected as his running mate. [70] In 1871, Grant offered to name Arthur as Commissioner of Internal Revenue, replacing Alfred Pleasonton; Arthur declined the appointment. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. [79] He was also popular within the Republican party as he efficiently collected campaign assessments from the staff and placed party leaders' friends in jobs as positions became available. William Arthur retired in 1898 with the brevet rank of, William Lewis Arthur (December 10, 1860 July 7, 1863), died of ", Ellen Hansbrough Herndon "Nell" Arthur Pinkerton (November 21, 1871 September 6, 1915), married Charles Pinkerton, This page was last edited on 28 May 2023, at 00:30. The fifth of eight children, Chester had six sisters and one older brother. "[36] During his time at school, he gained his first political inclinations and supported the Whig Party. [52] The closest Arthur came to the front was when he traveled south to inspect New York troops near Fredericksburg, Virginia, in May 1862, shortly after forces under Major General Irvin McDowell seized the town during the Peninsula Campaign. As the economy soured after the Panic of 1873, Chinese immigrants were blamed for depressing workmen's wages; in reaction Congress in 1879 attempted to abrogate the 1868 treaty by passing the Chinese Exclusion Act, but President Hayes vetoed it. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. [47] In 1859, they were married at Calvary Episcopal Church in Manhattan. [226], In 1898, the Arthur memorial statuea fifteen-foot (4.6m), bronze figure of Arthur standing on a Barre Granite pedestalwas created by sculptor George Edwin Bissell and installed at Madison Square, in New York City. [73] A rising tide of reform within the party caused Arthur to rename the financial extractions from employees as "voluntary contributions" in 1872, but the concept remained, and the party reaped the benefit of controlling government jobs. Top of page. As president, Arthur did not appoint a vice president to fill the vacancy, as this was prior to the 25th Amendment to the Constitution. In the White House, Chester Arthurs sister Mary McElroy (1841-1917) often took on the role of hostess for social functions. Son William Lewis Herndon Arthur born (d. July 8, 1863), Appointed brigadier general, New York State Militia, Promoted to Quartermaster General, State of New York. [205] Business leaders supported him, as did Southern Republicans who owed their jobs to his control of the patronage, but by the time they began to rally around him, Arthur had decided against a serious campaign for the nomination. Arthur formally takes the oath of office in Washington, DC. Chester Arthur. (2022, December 20). Graduated, Union College, Schenectady, N.Y., where he had been a member of Psi Upsilon, president of Delphian Institute debating society, and elected to Phi Beta Kappa while at Union College. President Chester Arthur Timeline Important Dates, World and National Events During His Lifetime: 1829: Born in Fairfield, Vermont in October 5th: 1848: Graduated from Union College: 1859: Married Ellen Lewis Herndon: 1860: Son William is born : 1864: Son Chester is born : 1871: Daughter Ellen is born : 1871: Named Collector of the Port of New . We strive for accuracy and fairness. [166] He also signed in August of that year the Immigration Act of 1882, which levied a 50-cent tax on immigrants to the United States, and excluded from entry the mentally ill, the intellectually disabled, criminals, or any other person potentially dependent upon public assistance. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Young Arthur spent much of his time as clerk in Culver's firm handling details of the appeal. [171][o], In the years following the Civil War, American naval power declined precipitously, shrinking from nearly 700 vessels to just 52, most of which were obsolete. [143] Frelinghuysen advised Arthur not to fill any future vacancies with Stalwarts, but when Postmaster General James resigned in January 1882, Arthur selected Timothy O. Howe, a Wisconsin Stalwart. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! [77] In total, his income came to more than $50,000more than the president's salary, and more than enough for him to enjoy fashionable clothes and a lavish lifestyle. Hayes did not seek reelection in 1880, and at that years Republican National Convention the choice for presidential nominee had delegates deadlocked between Ulysses Grant, the U.S. president from 1869 to 1877, and James Blaine (1830-93), a U.S. senator from Maine. Kelly, Martin. [176] Based on the suggestions in the report, Congress appropriated funds, signed into law by Arthur, for the construction of three steel protected cruisers (Atlanta, Boston, and Chicago) and an armed dispatch-steamer (Dolphin), collectively known as the ABCD Ships or the Squadron of Evolution. Intake is a vitally important skill because - to be blunt - there are a lot of cranks out there. Once in Washington he destroyed the mailed proclamation and issued a formal call for a special session. "Charles Guiteau's reasons for assassinating President Garfield, 1882 | Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History", Chester A. Arthur Fourth Annual Message (December 1, 1884), "James K Polk: Life After the Presidency", "In the Encampment at the Reunion at Ashland", "Original Civil War Officer Members of MOLLUS", "Where a President Took the Oath, Indifference May Become Official", "The Diaries of Malvina Arthur: Windows Into The Past of Our 21st President", "The Mystery of Chester Alan Arthur's Birthplace", "Republican State Committee: Gen. Chester A. Arthur Elected Chairman Campaign Plans", "Organization of the Republican State Committee", "The New Administration; President Arthur Formally Inaugurated", "The Loyal Legion: Meeting Last Night; President Arthur Elected to Membership", "Leading Officials: The Three Principal Officers in the Nebraska Posts", "Sister of Arthur Dead: Mrs. Regina M. Caw Was Born In Dunham, Canada in 1822", "Sister of Late President Arthur Dies at Age of 87", "Mrs. John E. McElroy Dead: Sister of Late President Arthur Succumbs in Atlantic City", "Another Sister for Chester: Almeda Arthur Masten", "Supreme Court Nominations, present-1789", "Historical Summary of Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Posts by State: Wisconsin", "Chester A. Arthur Fourth Annual Message", "Chester A. Arthur Is the Most Forgotten President in U.S. History, According to Science", Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, Essays on Chester Arthur and shorter essays on each member of his cabinet and First Lady, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chester_A._Arthur&oldid=1157339410, Regina (18221910), the wife of William G. Caw, a grocer, banker, and community leader of, Almeda (18251899), the wife of James H. Masten who served as postmaster of Cohoes and publisher of the, Ann (18281915), a career educator who taught school in New York and worked in, Malvina (18321920), the wife of Henry J. Haynesworth who was an official of the, William (18341915), a medical school graduate who became a career Army officer and paymaster, he was wounded during his Civil War service. Reputation after leaving office, Arthur 's unpopularity in life carried over into his assessment by historians and reputation! Dead letter most of his life he devoted more time to New York City in a bit more detail in... Office in Washington he destroyed the mailed proclamation and issued a formal call for a special session favor higher! Higher protective tariffs and high school students vacation had the opposite effect, and were. Discrimination in public transportation to counter Conkling 's political organization Nell '' Lewis Herndon destroyed the proclamation. 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