Ellen Herndon Arthur

Ellen Herndon Arthur was the wife of Chester A. Arthur, the 21st President of the United States, and served as a First Lady of the United States during his presidency. She was a member of the Virginia gentry and was known for her beauty, intelligence, and strong personality, which was shaped by her upbringing in Culpeper County, Virginia, and her education at Rutgers University and New York University. Ellen Herndon Arthur was also a skilled musician and artist, and her love for music and art was influenced by her interactions with notable figures such as Johannes Brahms and Winslow Homer. Her life was marked by her relationships with prominent individuals, including Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, and Rutherford B. Hayes.

Early Life

Ellen Herndon Arthur was born on August 30, 1837, in Culpeper County, Virginia, to William Lewis Herndon and Frances Elizabeth Hansbrough Herndon. 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. Ellen's early life was shaped by her family's connections to notable figures such as Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe. She spent her childhood in Washington, D.C., where she attended Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School and developed a love for literature and history, inspired by authors such as Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. Ellen's family also had ties to the University of Virginia, where her father had studied under Thomas Cooper.

Marriage and Family

In 1859, Ellen Herndon Arthur married Chester A. Arthur, a young New York City lawyer who had graduated from Union College and was a member of the New York State Bar Association. The couple had two sons, William Lewis Herndon Arthur and Chester Alan Arthur II, and lived in New York City, where they were part of the city's high society. Ellen's husband was a close friend and ally of Roscoe Conkling, a prominent New York politician, and the couple often attended social events at the New York City Hall and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Ellen's family connections also introduced her to notable figures such as Mark Twain, Edith Wharton, and Theodore Roosevelt.

Social Life and Interests

Ellen Herndon Arthur was known for her beauty, intelligence, and strong personality, which made her a popular figure in New York City's high society. She was a skilled musician and artist, and her love for music and art was influenced by her interactions with notable figures such as Johannes Brahms and Winslow Homer. Ellen was also a member of the New York City Colonial Dames of America and the Daughters of the American Revolution, and she was involved in various charitable organizations, including the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. Her social life was marked by her relationships with prominent individuals, including Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, and Rutherford B. Hayes, and she often attended events at the White House, the United States Capitol, and the Smithsonian Institution.

Life in the White House

After her husband's inauguration as the 21st President of the United States, Ellen Herndon Arthur became the First Lady of the United States. However, she died just 20 months into her husband's presidency, on January 12, 1880, due to complications from pneumonia. During her time in the White House, Ellen was known for her elegance and refinement, and she oversaw the decoration of the White House and the planning of social events, including the White House Easter Egg Roll and the White House Christmas Party. Her legacy as First Lady was marked by her relationships with notable figures such as Clara Barton, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and she remains an important figure in the history of the White House and the United States presidency. Ellen's life and legacy continue to be studied by historians and scholars at institutions such as the Library of Congress, the National Archives, and the Smithsonian Institution. Category:First Ladies of the United States