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{{Infobox US president
| name = Chester A. Arthur
| image = Chester A. Arthur Presidential Portrait.jpg
| order = 21st
| office = President of the United States
| vicepresident = None
| term_start = September 19, 1881
| term_end = March 4, 1885
| predecessor = [[James A. Garfield]]
| successor = [[Grover Cleveland]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1829|10|5}}
| birth_place = [[Fairfield, Vermont]], United States
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1886|11|18|1829|10|5}}
| death_place = [[New York City, New York]], United States
| political_party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| spouse = [[Ellen Lewis Herndon Arthur]] (m. 1859–1880)
| children = 3
| profession = Lawyer, politician
| alma_mater = Union College
| signature = Chester A. Arthur Signature.svg
}}

'''Chester Alan Arthur''' (October 5, 1829 – November 18, 1886) was the **21st president of the United States**, serving from 1881 to 1885. Though initially seen as a political insider, Arthur surprised many by advocating for civil service reform and demonstrating independent leadership.

== Early Life and Political Career ==
Born in Vermont, Arthur moved to New York City, where he became a successful lawyer and political figure in the Republican Party. He served as Quartermaster General during the Civil War and later as **Collector of the Port of New York**, a powerful patronage post.

== Presidency (1881–1885) ==
Arthur became president after the assassination of '''James A. Garfield'''. Despite his ties to political machines, he supported the '''Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act''', which introduced a merit-based system for federal employment.

Other notable aspects of his presidency include:
* Modernizing the U.S. Navy
* Vetoing wasteful spending bills
* Advocating for civil rights protections, though Congress failed to act

Arthur did not seek re-election due to health issues and lack of broad party support.

== Health and Death ==
Arthur suffered from Bright’s disease, a fatal kidney ailment, which he kept secret during his presidency. He died in 1886 at the age of 57.

== Legacy ==
Chester A. Arthur is often remembered as a man who rose above expectations. Though not widely known today, historians have praised his integrity and commitment to reform during a time of rampant political patronage.

== See also ==
* [[Presidency of Chester A. Arthur]]
* [[Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act]]
* [[Assassination of James A. Garfield]]
* [[Political patronage in the Gilded Age]]

[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]
[[Category:Republican Party presidents of the United States]]
[[Category:People from Vermont]]
[[Category:Union College alumni]]
[[Category:1829 births]]
[[Category:1886 deaths]]