Ellen Arthur

Ellen Arthur was the wife of Chester A. Arthur, the 21st President of the United States, and served as First Lady of the United States during his presidency. She was a member of the New York City, New York social elite and was known for her beauty, intelligence, and strong personality, which drew comparisons to Dolley Madison and Julia Gardiner Tyler. Ellen Arthur was also a talented singer and musician, often performing at social gatherings and events, including those hosted by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Her life was marked by tragedy, including the loss of her child, William Lewis Herndon Arthur, which was a devastating blow to her and her husband, who was a close friend of Ulysses S. Grant and Rutherford B. Hayes.

● Early Life and Marriage

Ellen Arthur was born on August 30, 1837, in Culpeper County, Virginia, to William Lewis Herndon and Frances Elizabeth Hansbrough. Her father was a United States Navy officer who had served under Matthew Perry and Isaac Hull, and her mother was from a prominent Virginia family, related to George Mason and George Washington. Ellen grew up in a family that valued education and the arts, and she was particularly close to her father, who was a friend of James Fenimore Cooper and Washington Irving. In 1859, she married Chester A. Arthur, a young lawyer from New York City, New York, who was a member of the Republican Party and had worked with Abraham Lincoln and William Seward. The couple had two children, William Lewis Herndon Arthur and Chester Alan Arthur II, and were part of the social circle that included Edith Wharton, Theodore Roosevelt, and Henry James.

● Public Life

As the wife of a prominent lawyer and politician, Ellen Arthur was active in New York City, New York society, attending events and gatherings hosted by Carrie Chapman Catt, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony. She was also a supporter of the Women's Loyal National League, which was dedicated to abolishing slavery and promoting women's rights, and was friends with Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison. Ellen Arthur's beauty, intelligence, and strong personality made her a popular figure in New York City, New York society, and she was often compared to Martha Washington and Dolley Madison. She was also a talented singer and musician, often performing at social gatherings and events, including those hosted by Johannes Brahms and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

● First Lady of

the United States When Chester A. Arthur became President of the United States after the assassination of James A. Garfield, Ellen Arthur became First Lady of the United States. However, she died just 20 months into her husband's presidency, on January 20, 1880, due to complications from pneumonia, which was a devastating blow to her husband and their friends, including Robert Todd Lincoln and Julia Dent Grant. During her time as First Lady of the United States, Ellen Arthur was known for her elegance and poise, and she hosted several social events at the White House, including a reception for Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison. She was also a supporter of the Arts and Crafts movement, and was friends with William Morris and John Ruskin.

● Later Life and Death

Ellen Arthur's death was a devastating blow to her husband and their friends, and it marked the end of an era in New York City, New York society. She was buried in Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands, New York, alongside her father, William Lewis Herndon, and her son, William Lewis Herndon Arthur. After her death, Chester A. Arthur was heartbroken, and he never remarried, dedicating himself to his presidency and his children, with the support of his friends, including Mark Twain and Oliver Wendell Holmes. Ellen Arthur's legacy lived on through her children and her husband, who continued to serve as President of the United States until 1885, and was succeeded by Grover Cleveland.

● Legacy

Ellen Arthur's legacy is that of a strong and intelligent woman who was a supportive partner to her husband and a popular figure in New York City, New York society. She was a talented singer and musician, and her love of the arts and culture helped to shape the social scene in New York City, New York during the late 19th century, alongside other notable women, including Clara Barton and Jane Addams. Her death was a tragic loss, but her memory lived on through her husband and children, and she remains an important figure in the history of the United States, alongside other notable First Ladies of the United States, including Martha Washington, Dolley Madison, and Mary Todd Lincoln. Ellen Arthur's story is also closely tied to that of Chester A. Arthur, who went on to become a successful President of the United States, and her legacy continues to be felt today, through the many institutions and organizations that she supported, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the New York Philharmonic. Category:First Ladies of the United States