Sidney V. Arnold Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 503-505

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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SIDNEY V. ARNOLD. Not alone is there particular interest attaching to 
the career of this gentleman as a representative business man of 
Ipswich and an honored veteran of the Civil war, but in reviewing his 
genealogical record we find his lineage tracing back to the colonial 
history of the nation and to that period which marked the inception of 
the grandest republic the world has ever known. Through such sources 
have we attained the true American type, and along this line must our 
investigations proceed if we would learn of the steadfast and 
unyielding elements which constitute the basis upon which have been 
reared the lofty and magnificent superstructure of an enlightened and 
favored commonwealth.  

Mr. Arnold was born in Cambridge, Washington county, New York, March 7, 
1844, a son of John H. and Lucretia M. (Vale) Arnold. His paternal 
great-grandfather was Erastus Arnold, whose ancestors were natives of 
England, who came to America in colonial days and settled in Rhode 
Island. He was one of the participants in the famous Boston Tea Party 
and raised a company for Washington's army, of which he was 
commissioned captain. Our subject's maternal grandfather was John Vaie, 
a Quaker and farmer, who lived at Danby, Vermont. The father, John H. 
Arnold, was born in Vermont and was reared in the Green Mountain state. 
He was a wool grower, and at one time ran a line of stages between 
Troy, New York, and Boston, Massachusetts. He served as postmaster at 
Schaghticoke, Rensselaer county, New York, during President Pierce's 
administration. In 1855 he removed to Lockport, Will county, Illinois, 
where he engaged in merchandising, and in that state spent the 
remainder of his life.  

Our subject, who is fifth in order of birth in a family of seven 
children, was about eleven years old when the family removed to 
Illinois, and was educated in the common schools of the state. On the 
15th of July, 1862, at the age of eighteen years, he offered his 
services to his country, enlisting as a private in Company A, One 
Hundred and Fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He was promoted to be 
corporal upon the Organization of the company, and while acting as 
sergeant at the battle of Kenesaw Mountain, where he was wounded, was 
commissioned first lieutenant for meritorious services in that battle. 
While with Rosecrans he was taken prisoner by Morgan's men at 
Hartsville, Tennessee, December 7, 1862, and was not paroled and 
exchanged until the following spring. He participated in the battles of 
Chattanooga, Missionary Ridge, Lookout Mountain, Buzzard Roost, Snake 
Creek Gap, Resaca, New Hope Church, Lost Mountain and Kenesaw Mountain. 
During the last named engagement, July 2, 1864, he was wounded as above 
stated, but was able to rejoin his regiment in time to take part in the 
battle of Nashville, where he commanded a detachment. He joined 
Sherman's army in April, 1865, and was present at Johnston's surrender. 
He participated in the grand review at Washington, D. C., May 25, 1865, 
and was mustered out on the 6th of June, after having participated in 
nineteen hard fought battles besides numerous skirmishes. During his 
service he served as provost marshal in Catoosa county, Georgia, for 
three months.  

After the war Mr. Arnold engaged in the mercantile business in 
Lockport, Illinois, and was a timber contractor for the coal mines in 
Illinois for several years. In the meantime he was married in Tioga 
county, New York, May 26, 1870, to Miss Stella A. Hosmer, a daughter of 
Col. W. H. C. Hosmer, the poet of Avon Springs, New York, who was on 
General Barry's staff in the Civil war. Both children born of this 
union died at an early age: Charles Sidney Arnold was eight years of 
age, and the second son died when an infant.  

In March, 1883, Mr. Arnold came to South Dakota and built the first 
hotel in Scranton, Walworth county, which he leased, and on the 11th of 
January, 1884, bought an interest in the town site of Roscoe, Edmunds 
county, where he made his home for some time. For four years he was 
right of way agent and town site locater for the Milwaukee railroad, 
and in 1 890 was elected register of deeds of Edmunds county on the 
Democratic ticket, which position he most creditably filled for two 
terms of two years each. In 1895 he established a real estate and 
insurance office in Ipswich, where he has since successfully carried on 
business along those lines, though his bank building was destroyed by 
fire September 30, 1898, it being the last of the many buildings burned 
here at that time. In his political affiliations he is a strong 
Democrat, and was a delegate to the national conventions that nominated 
Horatio Seymour and William J. Bryan for the presidency. Fraternally he 
is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and religiously his wife 
holds membership in the Episcopal church.  

Mrs. Arnold came of an old colonial family, there having been four 
Hosmers at the battle of Concord Bridge. Her great-grandfather was a 
surgeon on General Washington's staff and belonged to the Order of the 
Cincinnati.