Ellen Herndon: Mrs. Chester Alan Arthur

Chester Alan Arthur was a recent widower when he was elected VP in 1880.

The Private Arthurs

No one was more surprised than Chester Alan Arthur when he was nominated for (and elected) Vice President in 1880. Had she lived, Ellen Herndon Arthur would have echoed that surprise.

Chester Alan Arthur (1828-1886) was Vermont-born of a “humble” family. His father, a farmer-teacher-minister, was long on faith and short on funds. When Chet was still a toddler, the family moved from place to place in upstate New York for better opportunities. In a land where one (with pluck and luck) can rise from modest means to wealth, Chet leaped at the opportunity for an education at Union College. He excelled, studied law, and in time, decided to seek his fortune in The Big Apple, where, if you can make it there, you’ll make it anywhere. 

Nevertheless, while he…