Chester Alan Arthur II
| Chester Alan Arthur II | |
|---|---|
| Born |
July 25, 1864 New York, New York |
| Died | July 18, 1937 (aged 72) Colorado Springs, Colorado |
| Cause of death | Heart attack |
| Nationality | United States |
| Education | College of New Jersey, 1885 |
| Occupation | sportsman, art connoisseur |
| Known for | son of the President Chester A. Arthur I |
| Spouse(s) | Myra Townsend Fithian Andrews (m. 1900) Rowena Dashwood Graves (m. 1934) |
| Children | Chester Alan (Gavin) Arthur III |
| Parent(s) |
Ellen Lewis Herndon Chester A. Arthur I |
Chester Alan Arthur II, also known as Alan Arthur, (July 25, 1864 – July 18, 1937) was a son of President Chester A. Arthur. He studied at Princeton University and Columbia University's Law School. After completing his studies, Arthur traveled throughout Europe for 10 years. In 1900 he married in Switzerland and moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado to improve his health.
Chester Alan Arthur II was the second son of Ellen Lewis Herndon and Chester A. Arthur. Ellen was the daughter of explorer William Lewis Herndon. He was born on July 25, 1864 in New York City. His elder brother William Lewis Herndon Arthur, was born in December 1860, named after Ellen's father, and died in July 1863 from convulsions or swelling of the brain. It was particularly difficult for Nell, her husband wrote, "Nell is broken hearted. I fear for her health." Feeling as if they had "taxed" William's brain with "intellectual demands", they pampered their second son, who "led a life that closely resembled that of European royalty." He wore nice clothes, learned to sail and ride, and was taught charm and vanity. His parents had somewhat of a laissez-faire attitude about his academics.
He had a younger sister, Ellen Herndon "Nell" Arthur, who was born in 1871.
The family had a home at 123 Lexington Avenue in New York. There, Ellen held musical recitals, dinners and other parties at home to support her husband's professional and political ambitions. Chester had offices at Fifth Avenue Hotel, which was then the "epicenter of New York Republican politics. Although it was near his family's home, he used the hotel as a second home. He also spent many evenings away from the family at Delmonico's. From March through April 1878, Arthur traveled with his mother and sister to Europe.
His parents' marriage was not particularly happy; Ellen Arthur had difficulty managing her husband's "late hours and high living". His mother died in 1880 of pneumonia, before President Arthur was inaugurated. Regarding his father's reaction to his wife's death, "It was said that something graver, softer, kindlier, was observable in the character of her husband, aft the falling of that heavy blow."
If was said of his father's attentiveness to his children, "although Arthur loved to showcase his two children" at New York and "White House social affairs, he much preferred fishing, feasting with his cronies, and administrative work to family life." His relationship with his children was considered "somewhat strained and aloof".
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