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WILLIAM ARNOLD. Emerson says, all history is only biography. So we find this is especially exemplified in the community in which Mr. Arnold resides. Its history is only the biography of the lives of a few men, chief among whom is our subject, a well-known resident of Vinton. He is a native of Monmouthshire, England, born Dec. 10, 1826, and is a son of James and Rachel (Edwards) Arnold, natives of the same place. His parents' family numbered eight children, five of whom are now living, as follows: Elizabeth, widow of Daniel Sadler; William, the subject of our sketch; Ann, who married Thomas Bond, now deceased; Caroline, wife of Thomas Jones; Louisa, wife of Thomas Cole. James is deceased; two died in infancy. James Arnold was a man of more than ordinary ability, and was employed by William Adam Williams, Esq., as foreman of his large estate, for more than thirty years. Mr. Arnold strictly observed that most important factor in the successful public or business life of any one — honesty. Our subject's parents are now deceased. They were both members of the Church of England, and were held in high esteem by all who knew them, as always being kind and benevolent.
William Arnold was reared and educated in his native shire, and on the 12th day of October, 1847, he took for his wife Miss Hannah Robins, daughter of William and Ann (Davis) Robins. Mrs. Arnold was one of ten children, five of whom are living — John, William, Maria, George and Hannah. In 1857 Mr. and Mrs. Arnold concluded to leave their native land, and emigrated to America, coming directly to Vinton, Benton Co., Iowa. At that time it was but a small village and the country thinly settled. Coming from a thickly populated country to this place, when everything was new, and but very few settlers, it is not to be wondered that Mrs. Arnold was homesick. She says that she cannot believe it possible that a person can die of homesickness, or else she surely would have done so. After residing in Vinton for a time they purchased a farm in Canton Township, onto which they moved, and where they remained two years, then returned to Vinton, where they have since made their home. Mr. and Mrs. Arnold have never been blest with any children of their own, but adopted and reared one, Florence Arnold, who married Byron Likens, now deceased. In politics Mr. Arnold is a liberal, voting for the best man for the place, irrespective of party. He is a prominent member of the Presbyterian Church, with which body his wife is also connected. They are honest, upright people, esteemed by all, and have a cosy little home in Vinton.
Source Citation: "1887 Benton County, Iowa Biographies" [database online] Benton County IAGenWeb Project. <http://iagenweb.org/benton/>
Original data: "Portrait and Biographical Album of Benton County, Iowa." Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1887, p. 256.
Transcribed by: Sue Soden. Submitted to the Benton County IAGenWeb Project on January 28th, 2009. Copyright © 2009 The IAGenWeb Project.
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