Chester A. Arthur

Vice President Chester Alan Arthur became President on September 20, 1881, after the death of President James Garfield. Trained as a lawyer, Arthur had been a leader in Republican party politics (he helped to secure the nomination of U.S. Grant in 1868). Arthur had a respectable administration whose primary achievement was civil service reform, notable because of his previous reputation for cronyism. He lost a bid for reelection in 1884 to Democrat Grover Cleveland. Arthur, who suffered from Bright's disease and hypertension, returned the the practice of law as his health failed. He died of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1886.

Extra credit: Arthur's wife, Ellen "Nell" Arthur, died of pneumonia just 10 months before he became Vice President... He was the 21st president... Arthur was the first president born in Vermont... In 1881 there were three presidents in one year: Rutherford B. Hayes ended his term 3 March 1881; James Garfield was inaugurated the next day and died 19 September 1881; Arthur took the oath of office 20 September 1881.