When Vice President Chester A. Arthur (1829-1886; see entry in volume 3) assumed the presidency after the assassination of James Garfield (1831-1881; see entry in volume 3), he was a widower. Ellen Lewis Herndon Arthur had died the previous year after contracting pneumonia, a lung infection caused by a virus or bacteria. The Arthurs had enjoyed an elegant lifestyle of dinner parties, shopping sprees, and cultural events.

As president, Arthur did his best to maintain some of their practices. He brought along his own chef and butler to the White House. He hired designers to redecorate the rooms and grounds, to make them, he said, look less like "barracks" (plain buildings used to house soldiers). Each morning, he placed a fresh flower near the portrait of his beloved wife, whom he had affectionately called Nell.

Singer in the church choir

Nell was born Ellen Lewis Herndon on August...