Silas H. Arnold

NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

Silas H. Arnold

Biographical and Genealogical History of Morris County New Jersey. Illustrated. Vol. I., Lewis Publishing Company, New York and Chicago, 1899.

The first representative of the ARNOLD family in Morris county was Stephen ARNOLD, who came here about the year 1720 from Woodbridge, this state. He is supposed to have been born in Rhode Island, a son of William ARNOLD, who with his brother John came from Cheselbaum, Dorset County, England, in 1587, and settled at Providence, Rhode Island. All the ARNOLDS of America, including Benedict ARNOLD, have sprung from these brothers. Stephen ARNOLD died in Morris County and was buried at Whippany. His son Samuel ARNOLD was born in Morris County, on the 5th of November 1727 and died Oct 3 1764. He married Phebe FORD, a sister of Colonel Jacob FORD Sr. and among their children was Jacob ARNOLD, born in Morris County on the 14th of December 1749 his death occurring March 1 1827. He was a celebrated man in his locality during the Revolutionary war: was commander of the light-horse militia of Morris County, which served under WASHINGTON in a number of campaigns, and was promoted lieutenant-colonel in the Continental army. His light-horse company was an independent organization, raised entirely in Morris County, and it won an enviable distinction for its long and brilliant career. The Colonel was also well known as the proprietor of the Arnold tavern in Morristown, on the west side of the public green, where WASHINGTON and LaFAYETTE spent one winter as his guests, holding many conferences with all the leading men of the army, and where also the balls of the officers were held. Colonel ARNOLD was also sheriff of Morris County in 1780 and 1786, and assemblyman from the same county in the years, 1784, 1785, 1789 and 1790. He also was one of the twenty-four gentlemen who organized the Morris Academy, on the 28th of November 1791. For his first wife Colonel ARNOLD married Elizabeth Tuthill, who was born September 15 1753 and died May 7 1803. The children by this marriage who grew up were Hannah, Jacob, Abram, Charles and Eliza M. By his second marriage the Colonel was united with Sarah H NIXON, who was born in Morristown, October 1 1783 and died April 9 1843, and by this union there were seven children namely: Phoebe P., Mary A., Silas H., Abram H., Elizabeth M., Samuel D. and Edward A., all now deceased.

Silas H ARNOLD was born April 2 1813, on the old homestead known as Washington Valley, two and a half miles from Morristown, which has been in the possession of the family over two hundred years and is now owned by Edwin F. and Willis G. ARNOLD. He married Miss Louisa PIERSON in 1836, and had the following named children were born in their family: Frances Caroline, Isaac Gaston, Jacob Ogden, Samuel Pierson, Hannah Isabelle, Edwin Finley, Willis Garland, Eliza deceased, and Emma Elizabeth. Mrs. ARNOLD was born in Morris County May 7 1813, and departed this life March 4 1889. Both she and her husband we're devout adherent of the Presbyterian church. He always lived on the old homestead in Washington Valley, held county and city offices and was a Whig and Republican, voting for William Henry HARRISON for president He died March 4 1890, at the age of seventy eight years, having all his life enjoyed the respect of the people of Morris county.

Isaac Gaston ARNOLD was born in Morris county, New Jersey, on the 12th of December 1838, and received a limited literary education. He left the school-room at an early age of fourteen years to become a clerk in a grocery at Newark, whence he went eventually to New York and accepted a position in a tea ware store; but, his health failing, he returned home and there recuperated his energies for a year or so. His next employment was in a Morristown meat market, and in June 1863, he and his brother Jacob O. ARNOLD, established a similar enterprise of their own, under the firm name of ARNOLD Brothers, and this has since been continued with distinct success.

Fraternally, Mr. ARNOLD is a member of the Masonic order, in which he is Master Mason, and politically he is a stanch supporter of the Republican party. Although he has generally refused to accept office, he has served two terms as a member of the Morristown common council, and he has been connected with the Morristown fire department for over thirty years. Being a lineal descendant of Colonel Jacob ARNOLD, who participated in the Revolution, he is accepted as a member of the Society of the Sons of the Revolution, and he is also a member of the Washington Association, of Morristown.

In matrimony Mr. Arnold was united with Miss Mary M BAYLES, in 1869, and of their children four are living, namely Anna Louisa, Mabel Augusta, Edith May and Howard Bayles. Mr. and Mrs. ARNOLD are consistent adherents of the Methodist Episcopal church in the work of which they are both active.

Transcribed by Ida King