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Chester Alan Arthur - 20th Vice President
Party: Republican
Term: March 4, 1881 - Sept 19, 1881
Age at Inauguration: 50
Life Span: Oct 5, 1830 - Nov 18, 1886 [56]
President:James Garfield

  • Arthur once stated the vice presidency was as great an honor as any man can have
  • He would have been content there but an assassin's bullet elevated him to the presidency in 1881 Assassinated Presidents
  • There had been rumors that Arthur may have been born in Canada thus making him intelligible for the presidency
    President Chester Arthur
  • His birthplace was listed as somewhere near Vermont, and when questioned about the exact location, he said he didn't remember where he was born so the matter was dropped
  • President Grant named Arthur as collector for the port of New York, a position where in was in charge of collecting tariffs on imports to the city
  • When speculation arose as to the influence of New York political bosses in the port's affairs, and Arthur's estimated $40,000 a year income, he was fired by President Hayes