Death
In January 1880, Nell Arthur came down with a cold. She quickly developed pneumonia and died two days later on January 12, 1880 at age 42. She was buried in the Arthur family plot in Albany, New York.
The president's sister Mary Arthur McElroy served as hostess and unofficial First Lady for Arthur's social activities as president. She also cared for the Arthur children, who were then 16 and 9 years of age.
Arthur deeply mourned the death of his wife. After taking office as president, Arthur, who could see St. John's Episcopal Church from his office, commissioned a stained glass window dedicated to his wife at the church. He had it installed where he could view it at night, as the lights were kept on within the church. In addition, he ordered fresh flowers placed daily before her portrait in the White House.
Read more about this topic: Ellen Lewis Herndon Arthur
Famous quotes containing the word death:
“Families suffered badly under industrialization, but they survived, and the lives of men, women, and children improved. Children, once marginal and exploited figures, have moved to a position of greater protection and respect,... The historic decline in the overall death rates for children is an astonishing social fact, notwithstanding the disgraceful infant mortality figures for the poor and minorities. Like the decline in death from childbirth for women, this is a stunning achievement.”
—Joseph Featherstone (20th century)
“For the sake of goodness and love, man shall let death have no sovereignty over his thoughts.”
—Thomas Mann (1875–1955)
“Sin their conception, their birth weeping,
Their life a general mist of error,
Their death a hideous storm of terror.”
—John Webster (c. 1580–1638)