Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Arnold, Hon John W ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com September 3, 2007, 5:18 pm Author: Genealogical/Biographical Publishing Co HON. JOHN W. ARNOLD, one of the county's pioneers, was born in White Creek, Washington County, N. Y., February 14, 1842. His father, John H. Arnold, was born in Bennington, Vt., in 1808, and in young manhood went to New York state, where he was engaged as farmer, merchant and hotel-keeper. Under President Pierce he served as postmaster of Schaghticoke, an office near Troy, N. Y. In1855 he came to Illinois and settled at Lockport, where he opened a general store. He continued in business until 1868,when he retired from active cares. During the Civil war he assisted in raising the One Hundredth Illinois Regiment. An influential Democrat, he served as supervisor and justice of the peace for several years, and was a leader among the people of his day. His life was prolonged to the age of eighty-nine years. He was a son of John Arnold, who was born in Rhode Island and served in the Revolutionary war. The family history dates in this country back to the early part of the seventeenth century, when the first of the name came from England. The mother of our subject was Lucretia (Vail) Arnold, a native of Vermont, of Irish extraction, her grandfather, Jonathan Vail, a Quaker, having come from Ireland in an early day. She lived to be about seventy-five years of age, and, with her husband, was for years a faithful member of the Congregational Church of Lockport. Of their seven children, George, the eldest, came to Lockport in 1854 and for twenty years engaged in the mercantile business. For some years he also served as sheriff of this county. At the time the family settled in Lockport our subject was a boy of thirteen years. In September, 1861, he enlisted in Company D, Fourth Illinois Cavalry, and served for a year in that regiment. Next he joined the Chicago Mercantile Battery, in which he served for three years. Among the battles in which he took part were those of Forts Henry and Donelson, Shiloh, Cedar, Oxford, Vicksburg, Haines' Bluff, Arkansas Post, Port Gibson, Black River Bridge, Champion Hills, the charge on Vicksburg and the siege of that city. At the battle of Sabine Cross Roads, La., April 8, 1864, he was taken prisoner, and sent to Camp Ford, Tex., where he remained for fourteen months. During that time he once escaped from prison, but was recaptured after thirty days and taken back. In May, 1865, he was released from prison, and the following month was mustered out at New Orleans and honorably discharged. The only injury that he received while in the army was a gunshot wound in the right cheek, the marks of which he will carry to the grave; this was at the charge upon Vicksburg. After returning home Mr. Arnold carried on a mercantile business for several years. December 22, 1869, he married Miss Abbie L. Mathewson, who was born in Chicago, June 14, 1845, a daughter of Artemus J. and Julia A. (Miner) Mathewson. Her father was born in Walworth, Wayne County, N. Y., July 25, 1816, and spent his boyhood days on a farm. After studying civil engineering for some years, in 1837 he went to Chicago and secured employment at his chosen occupation. He was one of the engineers on the Illinois and Michigan canal. Later he assisted in surveying the railroad from Omaha to Salt Lake. In 1844 he established his home in Lockport. During later years he acted as county surveyor and was also connected with the canal until its completion, being auditor of the board for some time. His marriage, in 1844, united him with Julia A. Mirier, who was born in Bristol, Ontario County, N. Y., July 6, 1823, a daughter of Enoch W. and Lorinda (Guild) Miner, whom she accompanied to Chicago in 1837. Her father later was one of the contractors on the Illinois and Michigan canal and after the completion of his work on the canal he moved to Burlington, Wis., where his wife died. After her death he came to Lockport to make his home and here died at seventy-six years of age. His father, Amos Miner, who was a member of a pioneer New England family, served in the Revolutionary war and was wounded in the shoulder, which disabled him for further service. Mrs. Arnold was one of three daughters, of whom the second, Isabella, died in infancy; and the third, Dora A., is the wife of William J. Gooding, of Chicago, a member of an old Lockport family. Of the three children of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold, the twins, Julius and Julia, were born July 22, 1874; the daughter died July 13, 1888, and the son, March 4, 1895. The only living child, John William, Jr., was born December 29, 1870, and is engaged in the real-estate and insurance business in Chicago. Mrs. Arnold has been connected with the Congregational Church since 1868 and has been warmly interested in religious work. From 1865 to 1895 Mr. Arnold carried on a mercantile business. During that time he held the office of supervisor for one term, resigning as postmaster (a position that he held from 1888 to 1890) in order to accept the office of supervisor. Shortly afterward he was elected to the state senate, where, as in his other positions, he advocated measures for the benefit of the people. Among the measures he supported were the truck store bill and gross weight coal bill for the miners of Illinois. He was chairman of the military, waterways and drainage committees, which materially aided the fruition of the Drainage canal. February 20, 1894, during the second administration of President Cleveland, he was appointed United States marshal of the northern district of Illinois, and held that position at the time of the Debs strike in Chicago. After four years of service he retired from the office. At this writing he is engaged in the real-estate and loan business at No. 90 Washington street, Chicago, but still makes his home in Lockport. He is a charter member of the Grand Army post at this place, and has been its commander. Additional Comments: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County Illinois Containing Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present Biographical Publishing Company; Chicago 1900 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/arnold1651nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 6.7 Kb