BIO: John C. ARNOLD, Huntingdon County, PA

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Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: 
Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, 
Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative 
Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers.  Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. 
Runk & Co., 1897, pages 209-210.
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  JOHN C. ARNOLD, Barree, Huntingdon county, Pa., was born September 
24, 1825, in the kingdom of Wurtemberg, Germany. He is the son of 
George and Barbara (Walter) Arnold. His grandfather, George Arnold, was 
a native of Wurtemberg. Both served the required term of six years in 
the German army, and both passed their lives in their native country. 
George Arnold was a farmer; he died in Wurtemberg about 1873; his wife 
had passed away long before, in 1846. Their children are: John C.; 
Mary, who died in Germany; and Rebecca, also deceased in Wurtemberg.
  John C. Arnold was a pupil in the common schools of his native land 
from the age of six until he was fourteen years old, when he began to 
support himself as a farm hand, on very small wages; they did not 
amount to more than twenty dollars a year. During part of the time he 
lived with his parents. At the age of twenty-one he entered the German 
army, and served his six years, during which time the Revolution of 
1848 took place; he was on duty, stationed at Baden. In the year 1852, 
after his discharge from the army, Mr. Arnold left Germany for 
Liverpool, and there took passage in a sailing vessel for America. 
After a voyage of eleven weeks of very rough weather, he landed in New 
York. When his passage money was paid, Mr. Arnold had just twenty 
dollars left. He came at once from New York to Alexandria, Pa., where 
Mr. Arnold had a friend, John Kimler, who was a laborer. On the second 
or third day after reaching Alexandria, the enterprising young 
immigrant succeeded in obtaining employment by the month on a farm in 
the vicinity. On February 22, 1853, John C. Arnold was married to 
Elizabeth Weible; the young couple went to housekeeping on a place 
between Alexandria and Barree Forge, where they had rented the 
dwelling. Here they resided for four years, Mr. Arnold still working 
for various farmers. At the end of a two years' engagement with Henry 
Swope, he removed to John Swope's farm, in Porter township, where they 
resided for ten years. They then went to Alexandria and were there for 
one year, while Mr. Arnold was working in a stone quarry, at $1.18 per 
day. At the end of that year, in the fall, he bought the place on which 
they now live, containing 137 acres; he has since erected fine farm 
buildings. The dwelling was built by Jacob Neff in 1852, and carrying 
brick for its construction was one of the jobs performed by Mr. Arnold 
during that first year in the new country. Mr. Arnold voted twice for 
President Lincoln, but, his vote having been challenged on one 
occasion, he has not cast a vote since that time, nor ever concerned 
himself about political matters. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold 
are: Mary (Mrs. W. S. Varner), Alexandria, Pa.; Rosa; Caroline, 
deceased, wife of F. H. Medaugh, Nashville, Tenn.; Harry; Elizabeth; 
Fanny (Mrs. S. L. Work), Akron, Ohio; Charles, died young; John, in the 
lumber business at St. Helens, Mich.; Lewis Philip. Also lumberman at 
St. Helens; and Rebecca S. Mr. and Mrs. Arnold are members of the 
Lutheran church at Petersburg, Pa.