Person talk:William Arnold (1)

Early records regarding the Arnold family name his father as Thomas, and construct a lineage back from Thomas many generations. Edson Salisbury showed that William's father was Nicholas in 1915, and, having examined numerous Arnold records in England, found no documents substantiating the connection to the Arnold family shown in early pedigrees.

One such pedigree, from A transcript from a book in Adriance Library, Poughkeepsie, NY titled Arnold Line and Lineage: The line and lineage of the Arnold family, a paper, prepared and read by Ethel Zwick Luckey at the reunion held in Berne, June 15, 1930:

The Family of Arnold

The name Arnold is of very ancient origin. It was employed by the Teutonic tribes to mean "Eagle Power" -- a people who can soar and search -- and this the Arnolds have done.

From time immemorial the pages of history have been replete with the brilliant achievements of this family. They have distinguished themselves in various fields: as leaders of men in literature, education, politics, science, theology and philosophy.

The Arnold line is of great antiquity. Historical records and data in the College of Arms establish the origin of the family among the early Princes of Wales and reveal that Ynir, King of Gwentland, who reigned about the middle of the twelfth century, was a remote ancestor. This Ynir was paternally descended from Ynir, son of Cadwaladr, King of the Britons, who built the town and castle of Abergavenny in the county of Monmouthshire. At a later date the castle was rebuilt by Hamlet ap Hamlet, ap Sir Druce of Balladon, in France.

The town of Abergavenny is in a beautiful and highly picturesque country, and is of interest because of its historical associations. It is a favorite summer resort and is frequented by many visitors each year. The castle (qv page 19), used but little as a gentleman's residence, was long an important fortress, conferring a barony on its possessor by feudal tenure.

Enchantingly situated in Llanfihangel Crucorney, Abergavenny, is Llanfihangel Court (qv page 22), the ancient seat of the Arnolds, and the home of descendants of Roger Arnold of Llanthony. The Court was shold to Edward, Earl of Worcester, in 1608. Subsequently, it was purchased by Nicholas Arnold, son of John Arnold of Llanthony, member of Parliament from 1681 to 1698, was author of the bill in the House of Commons which put in force the penal laws against the Papists.

At the dissolution of the monasteries, the manors belonging to the priory, together with the site of the monastery, were conferred by Henry VIII in 1626 on Sir Nicholas Arnold, Lord Chief Justice of Ireland.

Nicholas Arnold, dying without issue, his two sisters, Mrs. Langely and Mrs. Dutton Colt, became his heirs. The son of Mrs. Colt succeeded to the Baronetcy, and was ancestor of the present Rev. Sir Edward Dutton Colt.

In the parish of Llanfihangel Crcorney are rich memories and traditions almost sacred to the family of Arnold. No less a personage than His Majesty, King James I, paid a visit to Llanfihangel and was entertained by Nicholas Arnold. A silver chalice was presented in 1674 to the then established Llanfihangel Crucorney church by John Arnold. It bears his arms: gules, a chevron ermine between three pheons or for Arnold, and the inscription, 16 St. Michalis Crucorney 74

Ex Dono Johani Arnold. On the maternal side, tracing from Alfred the Great, King of the Britons, born 849, forward through the Gamage Line to Joan Gamage, we have the following order: I.Alfred the Great, King of England, was father of Edward, mentioned below. II.Edward, the Elder, King of England, by his second wife had Edgiva. III.Edgiva married (1st) Charles III, King of France. IV.Louis IV, son of Edgiva and Charles III, was King of France. V.Charles, their son, was Duke of Lorraine. VI.Wigerius, son of Charles, was Duke of Lorraine. VII.Baldrick Teutonicus, son of Wigerius, married a daughter of Richard, Earl of Chase, Justiciary of England, and died 1090. VIII.Nicholas de Baschaville De Chase, Lord of Castle Martel, in Germany, had a son William. IX.William De Martel was Earl of Guarena, or Warren in Normandy. X.William, Earl of Warren, was acompanion of William the Conqueror. He was the first Earl of Surrey. XI.William de Warren, 2nd Earl of Surrey, married Isabel, daughter of Hugh the Great, son of Henry I, King of France. XII.Lady Gundreda De Warren married Roger de Bellomont de Newburgh, 2nd Earl of Warwick. XIII.Walderan, 4th Earl of Warwick, married (2nd) Alice, daughter of John de Harcourt and widow of John de Limesi. XIV.Lady Alice de Newburgh, married William the 6th, Baron de Manduit and 4th Baron de Hanslape, Heritable Chamberlain of the Exchequer. XV.Lady Isabel de Manduit married William the 5th, Baron de Beauchamp, of Elmley Castle. XVI.William the 6th, Baron of Beauchamp, died in 1298. He married Lady Maud, daughter of John Fitz John, Chief Justice of Ireland and of his wife, who was Lady Isabel Bigod. XVII.Lady Sarah de Beauchamp married Richard the 6th, Baron of Talbot. XVIII.Lady William Talbot married Sir Payne de Tuberville. XIX.Sarah de Tuberville married William de Gamage. XX.Gilbert de Gamage married Lettice, daughter of Sir William Seymour. XXI.Sir William Gamage married Mary, daughter of Sir Thomas Rodburg. XXII.Sir Thomas Gamage married Matilda, daughter of Sir John Dennis. XXIII.Joan Gamage, daughter of Sir Thomas Gamage, Knight, Lord of Coytey, married Roger Arnold of Llanthony, whose great grandson, Thomas Arnold of Cheselbourne, was the father of Thomas Arnold, Junior, and William, his brother, who first came to America in 1635.

On the paternal side, tracing from Ynir, King of Gwentland, on to Roger Arnold of Llanthony, we have this line and order, according to the historical records of Somerby:

Ynir, King of Gwentland, by his wife Nestra, daughter of Jestin ap Gurgan, King of Glamorgan, had a son, Meiric, who succeeded his father as King of Gwentland, and left by his wife Eleanor, daughter of Ednived ap Jerworth, of the house of Trevlor, a son, Inir Vichan, who wasd King of Gwent, and who married Gladice, daughter of Rhys Goch ap Maenerch, Lord of Ystradyw, in Brecknockshire, by whom he had a son, Carador ap Ynir Vichan, Lord of Gwent, whose wife was Nesta, daughter and heir of Sir Rydereck le Gros, Knight, by whom he had a son, Dyfnwall ap Carador, Lord of Gwent, who married Joyes, daughter of Hamlet ap Sir Druce, Duke of Balladon in France. Their son, Systyl ap Dyfnwall, Lord of Upper Gwent, married Annest, daughter and heir of Sir Peter Russell, Knight, Lord of Kentchurch in the county of Hereford, and by her he had a son, Arthur ap Syssylth, whose wife was Jane, daughter of Lein ap Moreidhec Warwyn, Lord of Cantrsblyn. Their son, Meiric ap Arthur, married Annest, daughter of Cradock ap einon ap Golhroyn, by whom he had a son, Gwillim ap Meiric, Esquire, who married Jane, daughter and co-heir of Ivor ap Syssylth, Lord of Lyhs Taly-Bont, and had a son, Arnholt ap Gwillim, of Meiric, Esquire, who by his wife Janet, daughter of Philip Fleming, Esquire, was father of a son, Arnholt ap Arnholt, Vychan, Esquire, whose wife was Sybil, daughter of Madoc ap Einon ap Thomas, by whom he had a son, Roger Arnold, of Llanthony, in Monmouthshire, the first of the family who adopted a surname. He married Joan Gamage, daughter of Sir Thomas Gamage, Knight, and their son Thomas Arnold, succeeded to Llanthony and other estates in Monmouthshire. By his wife Agnes, daughter of Sir Richard Warnestead, Knight, he had issue two sons: 1 - John Arnold, who in 1541 had granted to him the livery and manor of Higham and Over, in the parish of Churcham and county of Gloucester, died September 15, 1545, and was buried in the church of Churcham with brassplate and family Coat of Arms. 2 - Richard Arnold. This Richard Arnold, second son of Thomas Arnold of Llanthony, removed into Somersetshire and resided in the parish of Street. He married Emmote, daughter and heir of Pearce Young, of Dameron, Wilshire. Richard Arnold, Eldest son and heir of Richard Arnold of Somersetshire, went into Dorsetshire, and became seated at Bagbere in the parish of Middleton, otherwise Milton Abbas. He was the Lord of the Manor at Bagbere, and possessed estates in Alton Pancras, Buckland Newton, Cheselbourne, Melcombe Horsey, and other places in that county, and made his Will and Testament, May 15, 1593; being twice married, had by his first wife, besides a daughter, Repentance, four sons: 1 - Richard 2 - Thomas 3 - Robert 4 - John

Thomas Arnold, the second son of Richard Arnold of Bagbere, lived for some time at Melcombe Horsey, and was later a citizen of Chelbourne. By his first wife, Alice, daughter of John Gulley, of North Over, in the parish of Tolpuddle, he had: 1 - Thomazine 2 - Joanna, baptized November 30, 1577 3 - Margery, baptized August 30, 1581 4 - Robert, baptized 1583 5 - John, born 1585 6 - William, born June 24, 1587 Thomas Arnold, by his second wife, had: 1 - Elizabeth, born 1596 2 - Thomas, baptized April 18, 1599 3 - Eleanor, baptized July 31, 1606

The two brothers, Thomas and William, who emigrated to America and settled in New England, were the progenitors of the numerous and noted Arnolds of Rhode Island.

William Arnold came with his family to Hingham, Massachusetts, and after residing there a short time, joined Roger Williams and others in the purchase from the Indians of lands at Mooshausick, afterwards called Providence. He was a man of large affairs, admired and respected in the community and held various important offices of public trust. His wife was Christian, whose surname has not been preserved. Their children were: 1 - Elizabeth, born November 23, 1611 2 - Benedict, born December 3, 1615 3 -Joanna 4 - Stephen, born December 22, 1622

Benedict, the elder son of William Arnold, removed to Newport in 1653, and in 1657 was the successor of Roger Williams as Governor, holding that office for several terms. His wife was Damaris, daughter of Stukely Westcott of Providence, by whom he had: 1 - Godsgift 2 - Josiah 3 - Benedict, born 1641, was the Representative of Newport to the General Court in 1699. 4 - Freelove, 5 - Oliver, 6 - Caleb, 7- Damaris, 8 - Priscilla and 9 - Penelope.

The immigrant, Thomas Arnold, settled in Watertown, Massachusetts, about the year 1640. The name of his first wife is not given but he married for his second wife Phoebe, daughter of George Parkhurst of Watertown, Massachusetts, and later moved to Providence, Rhode Island, where he was admitted a freeman of the Rhode Island Colony, May 18, 1658, and was made deputy in 1670. The children by his first wife were: 1- Thomas, bor May 3, 1625 2 - Nicholas, baptized January 15, 1627 3 - Susannah, who married John Farnum April 7, 1654.

By his second wife, Phoebe Parkhurst, Thomas had: 1 - Ichabod, born March 1, 1640 2 - Richard, born March 22, 1642 3 - Elizabeth, born 1645, died 1745 4 - John, born February 19, 1647 5 - Eleazer, born June 17, 1651

Richard, the eldest surviving son, who was born at Watertown, Massachusetts, March 22, 1642, was the father of Thomas Arnold and he, Thomas, had a son, Jonathan, born November 18, 1708, who in turn had Samuel, born in 1738, and was the father of Welcome, born March 25, 1745.

You will note that in this paper I have followed the paternal and maternal lines of the family giving the exact lineal descent from King Alfred to Samuel Arnold, the great-grandfather of Drusilla Arnold. I hope that in a subsequent paper....

This pedigree, and others, call Thomas Arnold of Watertown the half-brother of William. William did have a brother Thomas. 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. (see NEHGR 69:64-70).