Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 700
JAMES C. ARNOLD

Among those sterling citizens of Harrison county who have impressed their personality upon their community, mention must not be omitted of James C. ARNOLD, at present holding the responsible position of cashier of the Pisgah Savings Bank. While numbered among the younger business men of this section, Mr. ARNOLD has given evidence of possessing unusual business ability which might well do credit to an older and more experienced man. He has come to his present station solely by his own efforts directed along proper channels and is at the same time an inspiration and example to younger men who are now at the threshold of their business careers.

Mr. ARNOLD is a native of this county, having been born west of Woodbine on September 24, 1878, the son of John and Francis (GRIFFITH) ARNOLD. The father also was a native of this state, born in Pottawattamie county, while the mother came from further east, probably from the state of Ohio. James C. ARNOLD's parents came to this county almost directly after their marriage, possibly as early as 1870, or perhaps as late as 1876. They were farmers, following this vocation for many years. The mother's death occurred on April 4, 1894, while the father died in 1900. He was a veteran of the Civil War and spent his declining days among congenial surroundings at the soldiers' home at Hot Springs, South Dakota.

James C. ARNOLD received his early education in the schools near his boyhood home, remaining beneath the parental roof until about fourteen years of age, at which stage of his progress he began working out among the farmers of the neighborhood. In this way he early learned the meaning of the words hard work, and, judging by the diligence with which he has since applied himself to various undertakings, they long since have lost whatever, if any, terror they originally may have inspired in his heart. In farm work he passed several years and when almost twenty years of age something occurred that changed the whole course of his career. This was no less than the opening of hostilities between our country and Spain, which resulted in the Spanish-American War, and fired with patriotic enthusiasm, James C. ARNOLD enlisted in April of 1898 as a private in Company L, Fifty-first Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and was off for the front. He was first sent with his regiment to San Francisco, California, where the regiment remained for six months, six months of impatient waiting, for all longed to reach the seat of trouble in the Philippines. Finally, on November 3 of the same year, they embarked on the transport "Pennsylvania" and headed for the Philippine Islands. They stopped en route at Honolulu, landing there on November 11 and remained four days in that wonderful tropical gem of the sea. Then, again, they embarked and at last, on February 5, 1899, landed at Manila, Companies C and L being the last to disembark. After this long and tedious voyage the volunteers were glad to be once more on land, even though it took them into the midst of hardships and privations. While they were never engaged in any regular battle, they were continuously engaged in skirmishing, which permitted them little rest day or night. From April 23 to May 5 the men of the company to which Mr. ARNOLD was attached did not once have an opportunity to remove their clothes and were compelled to forage for every bite of food they obtained. When it is remembered that all this was in a foreign land, in a climate and under conditions to which all were unaccustomed, some idea may be gained of what it meant to the men who endured all this. In the fall of 1899, Mr. ARNOLD was returned to this country and on November 2 of that year received his discharge at Presidio, California. Immediately after this he returned home and for two years attended the Woodbine Normal School, where he took a complete course in book-keeping and kindred subjects. His first clerical position was with the First National Bank of Woodbine, where he served in the capacity of bookkeeper. He remained there but a short time and then went to Fresno, California, where, for a year and a half, he filled a similar position. However, his native state claimed his best endeavors and he returned to Woodbine to assume the position of assistant cashier of the First National Bank. He held that position until August of 1910, in which year he went to Pisgah and became cashier of the Pisgah Savings Bank, which place he now fills and is making for himself quite an enviable reputation in banking circles.

On April 14, 1906, Mr. ARNOLD was united in marriage with Grace M. DUMOND, who was born on July 28, 1879, in Pottawattamie county, this state, near the town of Wheeler, a daughter of Theodore and Elizabeth (LECCART) DUMOND, the former of whom was born in Illinois and the latter in Ohio. Mr. ARNOLD's marriage took place while he was in Fresno, California, his bride going there to meet him. Their union has been blessed with one child, Evonne L., born September 9, 1913.

Both Mr. and Mrs. ARNOLD are consistent and active members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He holds his fraternal affiliation with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having joined that order in 1899, and both he and his wife became members of the Daughters of Rebekah about the year 1904. Mr. ARNOLD is one of the most active members of the local lodge of Odd Fellows. He has filled all the chairs and in 1908 was elected representative to the grand lodge, which position he held for two years. He also is prominent in local politics, being a strong adherent of the principles of the Democratic party. He was elected mayor of Pisgah in 1912, filling that office very acceptably for two years.

Mr. ARNOLD is of the highest type of citizenship, for while primarily endeavoring to further his own interests along legitimate lines, he has never lost sight of the duty he owes to the community at large and with this thought in mind is ever ready to give whatever assistance is within his power to raise higher the standard of civilization. We are told of old that a "prophet is not without honor save in his own country," and when a man in the place of his birth raises himself from humble circumstances solely by his own effort to an enviable station in the estimation of that same locality, such as has been done by the man under discussion, eulogy can add nothing to a simple and forceful statement of that fact.

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