This was another challenging month in my Booking It Through History: First Ladies project as I focused on Ellen “Nell” Arthur. Just one year before Chester Arthur became president after the assassination of President James Garfield, Nell died suddenly at the age of 42. Much like Andrew Jackson, Arthur’s entire tenure was clouded by his intense grief which affected his policies and the nation’s laws. It seems he never stopped mourning his beloved wife.
Each month, I’ll detail the life of the first lady and their legacy. Then I’ll share what I learned while studying them, along with ways you can travel in their footsteps through historical sites and museums. I’ll also share books, podcasts, TV shows, and websites where you can learn even more about that first lady. Read all of the way through the blog post or click on the links below to go straight to those sections.
Life
Childhood
Ellen “Nell” Lewis Herndon was born on August 30, 1837 in Culpepper, Virginia to a distinguished and wealthy family. Her parents were Captain William Lewis Herndon and Frances Elizabeth Hansborough Herndon, and her father was a well-regarded naval captain. Nell was an only child who grew up in Washington City when her father moved there to help his brother-in-law, Matthew Fontaine Maury, establish the Naval Observatory (now the vice president’s home). She attended services at St. John’s Church near the White House and knew Dolley Madison who was a member!
With her dark hair and fair skin, Nell was called “one of the best specimens of the Southern woman.” Her family summered in Newport and Saratoga Springs and loved visiting relatives in Fredericksburg, VA. They moved to New York City when her father took over stewardship of a New York-based boat, and Nell became active in the Mendelssohn Glee Club, the nation’s oldest independent music group.
It was in New York that her cousin introduced her to a friend, Chester A. Arthur, the son of a Vermont minister who was a dashing lawyer in the city. They became engaged in 1857 at a hotel in Saratoga Springs, and in a birthday letter, Chester reminded her of “the soft, moonlight nights of June, a year ago . . . happy, happy days at Saratoga.” A few of his romantic letters survive where he describes kissing her picture and says, “If I were with you now, you would go & sing for me…you would put your arms around my neck and press your soft sweet lips over my eyes. I can feel them now.”
Tragedy struck in September as Nell’s father went down with his ship in a horrific storm off the coast of North Carolina. He was deemed a hero for saving all of the women and children, but 400 other passengers perished, the largest commercial ship disaster in US history. Nell was bereft and sent for Chester who was in Kansas. He hurried home and handled the funeral arrangements and her mother’s finances. He knew he needed a more lucrative job to support Nell, so he turned to politics, becoming a cog in the New York Republican Party political machine.
Marriage
Nell and Chester married on October 25, 1859 (her father’s birthday) at New York City’s Calvary-St. George’s Church. They set up home at 34 West 21st Street, which was owned by her mother, and began their family with the birth of William Lewis Herndon Arthur in December of 1860.
With the start of the Civil War just months later, their marriage was strained by their differing opinions. Chester was anti-slavery and had represented African-Americans in court, but Nell had Confederate sympathies due to her family in Virginia. He jokingly called her his “little rebel wife” but there was a distinct chill in the air at their new home in a New York hotel at 22nd and Broadway. Chester was named quartermaster for the state and used his influence to secure the release of her cousin (the same one who had introduced them!) from a prisoner of war camp on New York’s Davids’ Island. Nell even went to the prison to see her cousin. Chester’s wartime job took him to the Union occupied Fredericksburg where her family lived. They remembered him as kind and helpful, bringing them desperately needed provisions.
Nell was glad when he lost his commission in 1863 and had to go back to work. She wanted him to earn more money so they could move up in New York society. However, the death of their son on July 8, 1863 from a mysterious illness was a devastating blow. One year later, Nell gave birth to another son, Chester Alan, and they made sure not to “overtax” his brain which is what they believed led to William’s death.
After the war, Chester became a lobbyist which enabled him to purchase a new townhome at 123 Lexington Avenue with grand cast iron balconies and fine furnishings. He and Nell hobnobbed with the Vanderbilts, Astors, and Roosevelts and threw their own lavish parties with a red carpet and an awning to protect guests from the elements.
On the day in 1871 that Chester was named the collector of the Port of New York, Nell gave birth to a daughter, also named Nell. With his new lucrative career, they were able to employ many servants, including nannies and tutors, and give the children the finest clothes and opportunities. Nell was always dressed in the latest fashions and wore jewelry from Tiffany’s. One friend said that there was “no happier woman in the country when he was named collector.” Nell was a very ambitious woman.
Chester’s new job was financially advantageous but also was beholden to corrupt patronage and the Boss Tweed machine. He spent most evenings out with political cronies where eating, drinking, and low-brow entertainment (including brothels and saloons) were the norm. Chester became quite large from his excessive habits, and he even wore a corset to restrain his growing girth! Nell was very unhappy with his absence and one biographer even said there were rumors of their separation.
Death
Nell’s mother died in 1878 in France, and Nell had to retrieve her body by herself as Chester was too busy to accompany her. The shock and grief of this loss, made worse by her long, sad journey home alone, took a toll on her health, leaving her weak and thin.
In January of 1880, Chester was in Albany, toasting to the political success of his party when he received an urgent note. Nell had gotten a bad cold from attending a party which had turned into pneumonia. He rushed home on the milk train but it was too late. Nell was unconscious and would die the following day, January 12, at the age of 42.
Her funeral was held at New York City’s Church of the Heavenly Rest, and she was buried in Albany‘s Rural Cemetery. Chester was completely heartbroken and felt guilty for all of the time he had spent away from her.
White House Years
Chester was put on the Republican Party presidential ticket with James Garfield just months after Nell’s death. He was only included as a nod to the powerful Stalwart wing of the Republican Party, and he continued his wheeling and dealing in Washington. When Garfield was assassinated in 1881, Chester and the rest of the country were horrified that he would have to step up to the taxing presidency.
With no wife to serve as his hostess, he asked his sister, Mary McElroy, to spend the winter social season at the White House. She presided over graceful and dignified events and wisely asked former first ladies July Tyler and Harriet Lane to help her receive guests. She also helped to raise little Nellie who was just 9 years old when her mother died and was having a hard time adjusting to the changes.
Chester oversaw a renovation of the White House to include a colorful stained glass screen designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany, who had also created a stained glass window in Nell’s honor for St. John’s Church. Chester requested the window be lit every night and relocated the presidential bedroom to the north side of the White House so he could view it. He also kept a picture of Nell in his room and made sure to leave fresh flowers in front of it every day. He truly mourned her for the rest of his life.
Whether from guilt or a true change of heart, Chester led efforts to reform the civil service patronage system that had led to his rise in prominence. Maybe it was his grief over losing time with Nell due to his corrupt business dealings or maybe it was the thought that he wanted to do better for his children and his country. We will never know the true reason as he destroyed most of his papers after leaving the White House except for some curious letters written to him by a young woman, admonishing him to rise to the occasion. Many historians believe her words made an impact on his actions.
For the last year of his presidency, he was very sick with Bright’s disease. He died just a year later and was buried beside Nell in Albany.
Legacy
With hardly any primary sources, Nell is lost to history. Her main legacy remains the beautiful stained glass window at St. John’s Church in Washington, DC. Even though she was never technically first lady, she is the only presidential spouse to be recognized this way in the “Church of Presidents.”
Nell seems to have been an attractive, social woman who loved singing and attending parties. Raised in a southern family, she brings to mind the ideal of a Southern belle. Of course, her legacy is also tainted by her Confederate sympathies, and I didn’t find anything about her thoughts on slavery. Chester did visit her Virginia family before they married and was horrified at her family’s use of enslaved labor, but no mention is made about Nell.
My Time with Nell
I didn’t get a true sense of Nell at all this month. With no books about her and very few pictures or letters, there was no way for me to understand Nell. Living in Virginia, I do like adding her to my list of Virginia-born first ladies which includes Martha Washington, Martha Jefferson, Rachel Jackson, Letitia Tyler, and Edith Wilson! Virginia is not only the “Mother of Presidents” but is also the “Mother of First Ladies” – only Ohio has produced more.
Travels with Nell
In her short life, Nell traveled extensively on the east coast with many sites in New York City.
New York
Nell’s adopted home state has several places important in her life and death.
34 West 21st Street, New York
This home where they began their married life is near the statue of Chester Arthur in Madison Square Park. It now looks to be the site of an office building.
123 Lexington Avenue, New York
There is a small plaque on the brownstone where Nell and Chester threw lavish parties and where she died in 1880. It’s also where he took the oath of office to become president. It’s now a convenience store/market.
Calvary-St. George’s Church, New York
This church is near both of her homes and is where Nell married Chester.
Church of the Heavenly Rest, New York
Nell sang in the choir here and this is where her funeral was held.
Rural Cemetery, Albany
This is the final resting place for Nell and Chester. Every October 5th, it hosts a presidential wreath laying event at their graves on his birthday.
Vermont
President Chester A. Arthur State Historic Site, Fairfield Station
While Nell didn’t live here, this historic site has artifacts and memorabilia about her life with Chester.
Virginia
The Chimneys at 623 Caroline Street, Fredericksburg
Nell’s father’s family lived here, and she may have lived here at times as a child. It’s a private home in the quaint town of Fredericksburg, just a few blocks from the James Monroe Museum.
Maryland
Commander William Lewis Herndon Marker, Annapolis
See the marker commemorating her father’s life and heroic death at the Naval Academy.
Washington, DC
Visit the “Church of Presidents” to see the stained glass installed in her memory by Chester. Learn more about it here (click on Resurrection window).
To Learn More
Books to Read
With no primary sources, it is hard to find any book that covers Nell’s life.
Links are Amazon affiliate links. Be sure to see my Bookshop.org list for all of the books related to my Booking It Through History: First Ladies project.
Nonfiction:
The Unexpected President: The Life and Times of Chester A. Arthur by Scott S. Greenberger
One of the few biographies of Arthur, it includes some historical details about Nell. It is a quick read and gives many details about the political machinations which led to his presidency.
TV shows
C-SPAN First Ladies Image and Image
Websites
White House Historical Society (for Nell)
White House Historical Society (for Mary McElroy)
- Ornament: The Arthur White House Christmas ornament includes the Tiffany stained glass used in Arthur’s White House and his memorial stained glass to Nell. It’s beautiful!
Nell Arthur’s tragically short life left her not well known in the history books, but as evidenced by the stained glass in her memory, she left a huge hole in Chester’s heart.
