Chester A. Arthur

Chester Alan Arthur was the second son of Malvina (Stone) Arthur and the Reverend William Arthur, a passionate Baptist abolitionist preacher, who emigrated from Ireland. Born in North Fairfield, Vermont, his family moved throughout New York and Vermont, as his father preached in various towns and villages. Throughout Arthur’s political career. [33]

After his retirement from the US Army in 1863, Arthur went back to his law practice.  His practice did very well and by the war’s end he became very wealthy.  He also worked for Roscoe Conkling, a New York Republican Party boss and U.S. Senator.  Conkling was very powerful and by 1867 Arthur had become one of Conklin’s top associates.  

In 1871, President Ulysses S. Grant appointed Arthur to the position of Collector of the Port of New York. Arthur served in this capacity until 1878, supervising nearly 1,300 agents responsible for collecting about 75 percent of the nation’s import duties. His domain included the entire coast of New York State, the Hudson River, and parts of New Jersey. This made Arthur even wealthier and more powerful politically.[71]