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Facts and Events
Apparently not the most religious, as he was fined several times for breaking laws concerning public worship and baptism requirements. Likely the reason he went to Providence, probably around 1661 when he sold land in Watertown to John Witney. He sold his house and barn to John Wincoll in 1662. Once in Providence, he served as deputy from 1666 to 1672 and on the town council in 1672.[4]
Originally considered the half-brother of William Arnold of Providence, who left a family record naming his half-brother Thomas (this is the Thomas b. 1599). However, no information that William's brother actually came to this country has been found. On the other hand, Richard Arnold, goldsmith of London, left in 1644 a will which named Thomas Arnold in New England and his uncles William and Richard. William's will in co. Suffolk names an underage son (in 1617) named Thomas, as does Richard's 1604 will in Warwickshire. The former seems preferable, as his wife's family was from co. Suffolk and Watertown was generally settled from people of that area. [5]
He left no will, but an agreement of his heirs was signed Jun 29, 1685. Names widow Phoebe, eldest son Richard, Thomas, John and Eleazer, daughter Elizabeth Comstock (husb Samuel).
- ↑ Arnold, James N. Vital Record of Rhode Island, 1636–1850: First series, births, marriages and deaths. A family register for the people. (Narragansett Hist. Publ. Co., 1891).
ARNOLD Thomas, Sept. --, 1674 1 324 Death Providence
- Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England: Showing Three Generations of Those Who Came Before May, 1692, on the Basis of Farmer's Register. (Boston: Little, Brown, and Co, 1860-1862)
1:66.
"THOMAS, Watertown, arr. from Virginia, whither he came from London, May 1635, in the Plain Joan, bring. ch. perhaps Thomas, said to have been b. 2 May 1625; Nicholas; and Susanna (of wh. the former two d. young), was made freem. of Mass. 13 May 1640, m. I suppose for sec. w. Phebe, d. of the first George Parkhurst, had Ichabod, b. 1 Mar. 1641; Richard, 22 Mar. 1643; John, 19 Feb. 1648; Ebenezer, 17 June 1651; after being fined once for neglect. the law of bapt. and twice for neglect of pub. worship, with increas. weight, and his d. Susanna hav. m. 7 Apr. 1654 John Farnum of Boston, wh. favor. the Bapt. views of ordinances, he was driv. to Providence, liv. in that pt. now Smithfield, sw. alleg. 1666, and d. Sept. 1674. He had been bapt. 18 Apr. 1599. (This record mixes this Thomas with the brother of William Arnold of Providence, a different man.)"
- ↑ Thomas, son of William, born 15 Apr 1599 Hollesley, Suffolk.
- ↑ Austin, John Osborne. The Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island
- ↑ See NEHGR 69:64-70
| Founders of Watertown, MA
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| Located along the Charles River, Watertown was one of the first settlements in Massachusetts Bay Colony. After a brief stay by Roger Clapp and others who then went on to settle Dorchester. In late July 1630, Sir Richard Saltonstall led a group of about 115 households to settle at Watertown, which at the time included parts of present-day Cambridge and much of the surrounding area; the population approached Boston's in the mid 17th century. In 1632 the residents of Watertown protested against being compelled to pay a tax for the erection of a stockade fort at Cambridge; leading to the establishment of representative government in the colony.
Full list of original heads of households
See also: History of Watertown - Wikipedia entry - Richard Saltonstall on Wikipedia
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| Watertown Founders' Monument
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Current Location: Middlesex County, Massachusetts Parent Towns: None Daughter Towns: Cambridge, Weston, Waltham, Belmont, Lincoln
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