William Arthur

William Arthur was born on December 5, 1796, in Ballymena Borough, County Antrim, Ireland. His parents were Alan Arthur and Eliza MacHerg. Alan Arthur served as the namesake for William's grandson, Chester A. Arthur, the twenty-first president of the United States. William Arthur is reported to have been raised at Arthur Cottage in Cullybackey, a building later purchased by the Government of Northern Ireland in 1963. The government intended to donate the cottage to the National Trust; however, the Trust declined the offer due to the unverified link to William Arthur. The building ultimately became a museum managed by Ballymena Borough Council. As of 2023, the website of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council states that Arthur Cottage is the ancestral home of Chester A. Arthur.

William Arthur attended Belfast College for his higher education. After graduation, he traveled to the United States, where he briefly studied law before pursuing a career in ministry. He became a Baptist minister and initially preached in Vermont and western New York. In 1855, he became the pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church in Albany, New York, a position he held until 1863. Subsequently, he relocated to Schenectady, New York, where he engaged in literary activities. He published a magazine titled *The Antiquarian and General Review*, to which he contributed extensive writings on various historical and cultural topics. In 1857, he published *Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names*, a work that received favorable recognition.

In addition to his publishing efforts, William Arthur was noted for his scholarly interests in the classics and history. During the last decade of his life, he lived primarily in retirement but occasionally preached and devoted significant time to literary pursuits. William Arthur passed away on October 27, 1875, in Newtonville, New York.

His son, Chester A. Arthur, would later serve as the President of the United States.