Howard-La Porte County IN Archives Biographies.....Arnett, Will Hollingsworth 1867 - 
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Author: Jackson Morrow

HON. WILL HOLLINGSWORTH ARNETT.

   It is the progressive, wide-awake man of affairs that makes the real history
of a community and his influence as a potential factor of the body politic is
difficult to estimate. The examples such men furnish if patient purpose and
steadfast integrity strongly illustrate what is in the power of each to
accomplish, and there is always a full measure of satisfaction in adverting even
in a casual way to their achievements in advancing the interests of their fellow
men and in giving strength and solidity to the institutions which make so much
for the prosperity of the community. Such a man is the worthy subject of this
sketch, and as such it is proper that a review of his career be accorded a place
among the representative citizens of the city and county in which he resides.
Hon. Will Hollingsworth Arnett, mayor of Kokomo, is a native of Howard county,
and the son of Valentine and Caroline Arnett, both parents born in Indiana, the
mother in Howard county and the father in the county of Wayne. James H. Arnett,
the subject's grandfather, a North Carolinian by birth, emigrated in about 1840
to Wayne county, Indiana, where he resided until 1856, when he removed to Howard
county and located near New London, where in addition to fanning and stock
raising he engaged in the mercantile business. He became an influential man in
the community and aside from his success in business and respectable standing
among his fellow men possessed certain attributes and peculiarities which made
him in many respects quite a unique character but withal he ever maintained the
reputation of an exemplary and eminently praiseworthy citizen. Among his more
prominent characteristics were a firmness in behalf of right and justice as he
understood those terms and an inordinate fondness for colloquial discussion and
debate, to indulge in which he would advocate almost any proposition whether
consistent with his views and opinions or not. A member of the society of
Friends and deeply read in the Scriptures on religious subjects, nothing
afforded him greater satisfaction than to engage some friend or acquaintance in
controversy on some obscure or debatable passage of Holy Writ, and such was his
skill in maintaining the soundness of his position that in the majority of
instances his adversary-was obliged to acknowledge himself worsted in argument
and retire crestfallen from the wordy conflict. As is well known the society of
Friends early took decided stands against all kinds of secret benevolent work
and for many years would tolerate no member of these organizations in the
church, with the result that many good men who found much to commend in the
lodges were obliged to choose between them and the church. Now, while a Friend
by birthright and devotedly attached to the faith of his fathers, Mr. Arnett
deemed this arbitrary attitude of the church an unjustifiable interference with
his personal rights, and having become a member of the Masonic fraternity, he
refused pointedly to submit to the dictates of ecclesiastical authority. When
the matter of deciding between the church or the lodge was presented to him he
unhesitatingly chose the latter, and for a number of years was one of the
leading members of New London, though still professing fealty to the society of
Friends and practicing their principles and precepts in all of his relations
with his fellow men. The antagonism between the church and secret organizations
become less marked and virulent as time passed and Mr. Arnett was restored to
full membership. Aside from his eccentricities and fondness for dispute, Mr.
Arnett was a man of high character and sterling worth and by his activity and
influence did much to advance the prosperity of his community and benefit the
people in a moral way. Originally a Whig in politics he afterwards became a
pronounced and uncompromising Republican and so great was his antipathy to human
slavery that he disregarded the law protecting the system whenever possible and
during the troublous times just preceding and during the war of the Rebellion,
assisted many poor black men to escape from their masters and find freedom
across the Canadian border. Like others of his kind he maintained a station on
the "underground railroad" at his place, where the refugee was assured a welcome
and safety until he could be assisted to the next station on the way to freedom,
considering his efforts in thus thwarting the designs of the officers of the law
among the most righteous and praiseworthy acts of his life. In due time this
sterling citizen and fearless advocate of justice and right was gathered to his
fathers, leaving to his descendants a worthy name and a character to which the
passing years have given additional luster.

   Valentine Arnett, son of James H., was reared near New London. Unlike the
former he finds his chief satisfaction in the sequestered ways of life,
belonging to that large and eminently respectable class that in a quiet and
unostentatious manner add so much to the solidity of the politic and give to
American citizenship the sturdy character that has made the name and fame of our
country- known and honored among the nations of the world. When a young man Mr.
Arnett was united in marriage to Caroline Hollingsworth, whose family were among
the early settlers in the county and vicinity of New London. The only child of
this excellent couple to reach maturity was Will Hollingsworth Arnett, the
subject of this sketch, whose birth occurred in New London on the 26th of
December, 1867, and who passed his early life in and near that village, removing
with his parents to Kokomo in 1871. At the proper age he entered the city
schools and after finishing the high school course pursued his studies for one
year at Earlham College, previous to the latter experience spending three years
in the city of La-Porte. Young Arnett's practical education began at an early
age when he became clerk in a dry goods and clothing store in which capacity he
continued twenty years, a fact which speaks well for his efficiency and
trustworthiness as a salesman, his experience during the time indicated having
had much to do in developing habits of industry and fitting him for the more
responsible position of trust with which he was afterwards honored.

   In the year 1905 Mr. Arnett was appointed by the late mayor Brouse to the
office of city comptroller, but soon after entering upon the duties of the
position he was called to the higher and more responsible post of mayor, to fill
the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Brouse, which occurred October 2, 1906.
just thirty-two days after the beginning of the term.

   Mr. Arnett became mayor by right of official succession and taking charge of
the office the day following the death of his predecessor, at once announced his
intention of carrying out policies and giving the city the economical
administration that had been previously planned and to which the people had been
looking forward with much more than ordinary interest and expectancy. That he
has succeeded in his laudable designs and fully justified the people in their
expectations is fully indicated in the present condition of a municipality,
practically free from debt and with a credit second to that of no other city
within the confines of the entire Union.

   Mr. Arnett first addressed himself to the task of reducing the indebtedness
of the city, of which forty-two thousand dollars has already been paid,
twenty-five thousand dollars of this sum having been paid in May, 1908, leaving
Kokomo the only city in Indiana with over five thousand population free of debt.
In addition to this laudable showing he has always entered into much more
favorable arrangements with certain public utilities than have heretofore
obtained, the contract for lighting the streets with two hundred arc lights of
two thousand candle power at sixty dollars annually against the former contract
of seventy dollars, being especially advantageous. In many other respects has he
been mindful of the city's prosperity and at all times he has labored zealously
to promote the welfare of the people materially and otherwise taking an active
interest in all movements and enterprises with these objects in view, thus
gaining the unbounded esteem of his fellow men and establishing an honorable
reputation as an industrious public-spirited executive, who makes every other
consideration subordinate to the one desire of governing faithfully and well the
municipality of which he is the official head. He is a member and trustee of the
League of American Municipalities, and was recently by that body assigned the
duty of preparing "A Report on a City Free From Debt." At the present time he is
laboring earnestly in behalf of a city hospital without increasing the tax rate,
and his efforts in this laudable enterprise are meeting with sufficient
encouragement to warrant the presumption that in due time this much needed and
greatly desired improvement will become an assured fact.

   Mr. Arnett is a stalwart Republican and as an active and potential factor in
his party, has contributed greatly to its strength in Howard county, the success
of the ticket in a number of campaigns both local and general, being largely
attributable to his wise counsel and judicious leadership. He has been a
delegate to a number of district and state conventions to say nothing of his
activity and influence in county and city bodies of this kind, all of which he
invariably attends and in the deliberations of which he takes a leading part. As
chairman of the Howard county Republican central committee, in which position he
is now on his second term, he has rendered valuable service to the party, not
only as an adviser in the planning of campaigns and the making of platforms and
directing of policies, but as a worker with the rank and file also where his
ability as a leader is duly recognized and appreciated.

   Mr. Arnett's energetic nature and public-spirit have led him into various
organizations of a fraternal and benevolent character, in all of which he has
been honored with important official positions, besides contributing of his
means and influence to their stability and success. He is a Mason of high
standing, belonging to Blue Lodge, Chapter, Council and Eastern Star, holding
the title of past patron in the latter branch of the order, his wife being past
matron in the same. He holds membership with the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, including the encampment and Rebekah degree, belongs to the Red Men,
the tribe of Ben-Hur, the Haymakers, the order of Elks and the Eagles, holding,
as already indicated, various official positions in these several societies and
ever manifesting a lively interest in their welfare.

   The domestic life of Mr. Arnett dates from 1901, on April 9th of which year
was solemnized his marriage with Mary M. Reiff, of Kokomo, Indiana, the union
being blessed with one child, a bright and interesting young gentleman, who
bears his four years with the grace and dignity becoming one of his age and
standing.

   Mrs. Arnett was reared a Methodist and still adheres to that belief, being an
esteemed member of the Grace Methodist Episcopal church, and deeply interested
in all lines of benevolent and religious work under the auspices of the same.
Mr. Arnett is a birthright member of the society of Friends, has ever been loyal
to the pure, simple faith in which he was reared. He keeps in close touch with
all matters relating to the church, attends regularly yearly meetings and in all
of his relations, business and social, demonstrates by his daily life and
conversation, the beauty and value of a life in harmony with the religion of the
Nazarene.

   Mr. Arnett believes in getting out of life all pleasures and satisfaction
there is in it. Consistent with and to this end his time is not all devoted to
the monotonous routine and daily grind of business or other duties but at stated
seasons he and his wife throw aside dull care and along the northern lakes, in
the woods or on the sea shore, close to nature's heart, find the rest and
recreation which exhilarates both body and mind and adds so much zest and joy to
what might otherwise prove but a hum-drum existence. In the social life of their
home city they are highly esteemed, moving as they do in the best social circles
and contributing to the advancement of various interests for the intellectual
improvement and moral good of their friends and associates.


Additional Comments:
From:

HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY INDIANA
BY
JACKSON MORROW, B. A.
ILLUSTRATED
VOL. II
B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

(circa 1909)

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