HARRY G. ARNOLD
Harry G. Arnold, a traveling
salesman residing at Garden Grove, was born on the 6th of May, 1875,
in Decatur county of the marriage of Guy and Elsie (Howes) Arnold. His paternal grandfather, Sylvanus Arnold,
who married Miss Lucretia Baker, went to California in 1849 and sought his
fortune in the gold fields. In 1852
their son Guy located in Decatur county, Iowa where he became the owner of
large tracts of land and gave his time to agricultural pursuits. Like his father, he felt the fascination of
mining and the possibilities of sudden wealth and prospected in both the
California and Alaska gold fields. It is
said that in 1898 he was the first white man to reach the headwaters of the
Pelly and Stewart rivers in Alaska. He
made the trip in a boat from Fort Selkirk to Nome, a distance of about
twenty-six hundred miles. His wife
passed away while he was in the north.
He then returned home and is now living in Garden Grove township,
Decatur county. He was one of the
earliest settlers and the oldest living resident of that township. For one term he represented his district in
the state legislature, was for some time county supervisor and held a number of
township offices, proving at all times able and conscientious in the discharge
of his duties. He also served as
president of the Decatur County Historical Society and for several years was a
member of the school board. Although he
still retains his residence in Garden Grove township, he is at present in Texas
looking after his landed interests in that state. He is one of the most substantial and most
highly esteemed men in Decatur county and his friends are many. To him and his wife were born the following
children: Harry G.; Helen E., the wife of
Elmer J. Lovett, by whom she has three children, John J., Arnold and Pauline;
Esther L., who married Howard J. Culver and has two children, Guy and Alice;
Isabella; William; Pauline, a graduate nurse, who took her training in Mercy
Hospital of Des Moines and who is now residing in California; and John D., who
is a student in the Iowa State College of agriculture and Mechanic Arts at
Ames.
Harry G. Arnold was educated
in the public and high schools of Garden Grove, and during the period of his
minority remained under the parental roof.
He continued to farm until 1909, when he became a traveling salesman for
the Braucher Manufacturing Company, of St. Joseph, Missouri. The firm manufactures cotton ducking, etc.,
and Mr. Arnold represents them as salesman in the state of Oklahoma. He also does considerable collecting for the
company in the states of Kansas, Arkansas, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico and
Louisiana.
In 1899, Mr. Arnold married
Miss Mabel Judd, a daughter of Newton Judd, one of the highly esteemed early
settlers of Decatur county. Mr. And Mrs.
Arnold have four children, Judd, Elsie, Harriet and Edgar.
Mr. Arnold gives his political allegiance to the democratic party and in 1906 was its candidate for county treasurer. In that year he was elected mayor of Garden Grove, giving the city and efficient and businesslike administration. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Masonic blue lodge, and with the Dramatic Order Knights of Khorassan. His religious faith finds expression in his membership in the Episcopal church and he is glad to cooperate with all movements further high moral endeavor.