John Arnold, M. D. one of Rush County's senior physicians and a very scholarly gentleman, was born on the Isle of Wright, January 14, 1815. He was the son of John and Mary A. (Cole) Arnold, the former of whom was the son of Richard and Mary (Bull) Arnold, and the latter was the daughter of James and Sarah (Dennett) Cole. Both his paternal and maternal ancestors were of English extraction, and had resided upon the Isle of Wright for more than three centuries. In 1821, when the subject of this sketch was but six years old, his mother and her children, in company with her brother-in-law, Isaac Arnold and his family set out for America, with her husband had come to locate a home a year previous. He had left his native Isle, in company with his brother, Richard Arnold, on the 20th of May, 1820, and on reaching this country, he came on westward to Rush County, and on the 1st Monday in October, 1820, he entered a 160 acre tract of land in Union Township, where he settled down and immediately set about preparing a home for his family, who was soon to join him in the wilderness. In the following year he went on horseback to Philadelphia, where in September, he met his wife and children, and the re-united family made haste to reach their Rush County home, when they arrived October 21, 1821. The development of a farm was at once begun, and in the course of a few years the forest was converted into beautiful and well-tilled fields; and with other corresponding improvements, the cabin and forest were replaced with a comfortable home and a good farm. That farm, which has ever since been known as "Arnold's Home" has, since the day it was entered, been in possession of the Arnold family, and it is now owned by the subject of this sketch. In 1824, John Arnold, Sr. moved his family to Cincinnati, where, for two years, he was engaged in the clothing business. In 1826, he removed to Aurora, this state, and they're engaged in general merchandising. While a resident of that place, on the 2nd day of July 1826, he was bereaved of his beloved wife, and his children of their affectionate mother. On meeting with this misfortune he determined to return with his children to his farm in this County, which he did the following year. There he opened a store, which he conducted in connection with his duties as Postmaster, for about ten years. He continued upon the farm until 1855, when he moved to Connersville, and there spent the rest of his life, his death occurring June 26, 1864. At twelve years of age, or in 1828, the subject of this sketch became a student at the first academic school ever taught in Rushville, which was presided over by Dr. William B. Laughlin. After pursuing his studies with diligence for one year, he spent a short time upon the farm, and in May, 1830, he entered the preparatory department of Miami University, at Oxford Ohio, in which institution he remained four years, completing the junior year. He then returned home, and after spending some time recruiting his health, which had become somewhat impaired, he entered upon the study of medicine with Dr. Jefferson Helm, who was then practicing at Vienna, now Glenwood, this County. November 6, 1836, he was licensed to practice medicine and immediately afterward he formed a partnership with his preceptor Dr. Helm, with whom he was associated until 1841. By this time the state of Dr. Arnolds health was such as to seriously threaten his life, and realizing that it was necessary in some way to check the disease which was fast gaining hold of him, he concluded to make a trip to England and his native land, believing that the change of habits and climate which the trip would occasion would either benefit him or produce fatal result. In August 1841, he started on his long journey, and at the end of about fifteen months he returned with his health fully recovered. Early in 1843, he located in Connersville, and there he was actively and successfully engaged in the practice of his profession for a period of ten years. His practice was very extensive, and was frequently more than he could attend. In 1853, he purchased the Old Arnold homestead in this County, upon which he located and where he continued to reside until 1877, giving his attention to the practice of medicine and to the management of his farm. He then became a resident of Rushville, where he has since practiced his profession. The marriage of Dr. Arnold occurred December 25, 1838, when Sarah Ann Ball became his wife. She was born in Fayette County, being the daughter of Abner Ball, who was among the first settlers of Fayette County. Doctor Arnold and wife are the parents of four children, three of whom are living. They are: Mary Ann, who is the wife of Hamilton R. Holmes, of Mobile, Ala, William W., who received a diploma from Philadelphia medical college, in 1886, and at present he is successfully engaged in the practice of medicine at Colorado Springs, Col. The third child is John Arnold, who is a farmer by occupation, and resides in White County, Ark., and Abner who died in infancy. Doctor Arnold and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. The political affiliations of the former have always been with the Whig and Republican parties. He takes a lively interest in politics, and uses every available instrumentality to promote the welfare of his party. While not an agriculturist, in fact, his sympathies have always been with the improvement of the condition of the agricultural classes and for a number of years he has been identified with various societies having for their object, the dissemination and utilization of the latest and most approved methods for the farming community. He is a member of the Rush County Agricultural Society, and has been Secretary of the Farmers' and Stock Growers' Union Association, of Rush, Shelby, Bartholomew and Decatur counties He is a member of the Rush Medical Society, the Union Distric Medical Society, the Indiana State Medical Society, the Medical Association of the Mississippi Valley and of the American Medical Association, in every one of which he has frequently been honored with positions of trust and distinction. Doctor Arnold has always been actively with the Old Settlers' Association and has been officially connected with the society ever since its formation. As a writer, he has exhibited remarkable skill and fluency, and in that capacity his historical sketches and his "Remininisinces of an old settler", a series of articles published in the Rushville Republican, have all been read with interest and have given him considerable of a reputation. He is a man of positive convictions and he does not hesitate to speak his sentiments in support of what he considers to be right. He possesses a vivid recollection of the scenes and incidents of pioneer life, and there is certainly no other living person who is so familiar with the country's early history. He is a man that has always exhibited public spirit, and there has probably been no enterprise within the radius of his associations, having for its object, the general welfare of the public, with which he has not been conspicuously identified.
John Arnold, M. D. one of Rush County's senior physicians and a very scholarly gentleman, was born on the Isle of Wright, January 14, 1815. He was the son of John and Mary A. (Cole) Arnold, the former of whom was the son of Richard and Mary (Bull) Arnold, and the latter was the daughter of James and Sarah (Dennett) Cole. Both his paternal and maternal ancestors were of English extraction, and had resided upon the Isle of Wright for more than three centuries. In 1821, when the subject of this sketch was but six years old, his mother and her children, in company with her brother-in-law, Isaac Arnold and his family set out for America, with her husband had come to locate a home a year previous. He had left his native Isle, in company with his brother, Richard Arnold, on the 20th of May, 1820, and on reaching this country, he came on westward to Rush County, and on the 1st Monday in October, 1820, he entered a 160 acre tract of land in Union Township, where he settled down and immediately set about preparing a home for his family, who was soon to join him in the wilderness. In the following year he went on horseback to Philadelphia, where in September, he met his wife and children, and the re-united family made haste to reach their Rush County home, when they arrived October 21, 1821. The development of a farm was at once begun, and in the course of a few years the forest was converted into beautiful and well-tilled fields; and with other corresponding improvements, the cabin and forest were replaced with a comfortable home and a good farm. That farm, which has ever since been known as "Arnold's Home" has, since the day it was entered, been in possession of the Arnold family, and it is now owned by the subject of this sketch. In 1824, John Arnold, Sr. moved his family to Cincinnati, where, for two years, he was engaged in the clothing business. In 1826, he removed to Aurora, this state, and they're engaged in general merchandising. While a resident of that place, on the 2nd day of July 1826, he was bereaved of his beloved wife, and his children of their affectionate mother. On meeting with this misfortune he determined to return with his children to his farm in this County, which he did the following year. There he opened a store, which he conducted in connection with his duties as Postmaster, for about ten years. He continued upon the farm until 1855, when he moved to Connersville, and there spent the rest of his life, his death occurring June 26, 1864. At twelve years of age, or in 1828, the subject of this sketch became a student at the first academic school ever taught in Rushville, which was presided over by Dr. William B. Laughlin. After pursuing his studies with diligence for one year, he spent a short time upon the farm, and in May, 1830, he entered the preparatory department of Miami University, at Oxford Ohio, in which institution he remained four years, completing the junior year. He then returned home, and after spending some time recruiting his health, which had become somewhat impaired, he entered upon the study of medicine with Dr. Jefferson Helm, who was then practicing at Vienna, now Glenwood, this County. November 6, 1836, he was licensed to practice medicine and immediately afterward he formed a partnership with his preceptor Dr. Helm, with whom he was associated until 1841. By this time the state of Dr. Arnolds health was such as to seriously threaten his life, and realizing that it was necessary in some way to check the disease which was fast gaining hold of him, he concluded to make a trip to England and his native land, believing that the change of habits and climate which the trip would occasion would either benefit him or produce fatal result. In August 1841, he started on his long journey, and at the end of about fifteen months he returned with his health fully recovered. Early in 1843, he located in Connersville, and there he was actively and successfully engaged in the practice of his profession for a period of ten years. His practice was very extensive, and was frequently more than he could attend. In 1853, he purchased the Old Arnold homestead in this County, upon which he located and where he continued to reside until 1877, giving his attention to the practice of medicine and to the management of his farm. He then became a resident of Rushville, where he has since practiced his profession. The marriage of Dr. Arnold occurred December 25, 1838, when Sarah Ann Ball became his wife. She was born in Fayette County, being the daughter of Abner Ball, who was among the first settlers of Fayette County. Doctor Arnold and wife are the parents of four children, three of whom are living. They are: Mary Ann, who is the wife of Hamilton R. Holmes, of Mobile, Ala, William W., who received a diploma from Philadelphia medical college, in 1886, and at present he is successfully engaged in the practice of medicine at Colorado Springs, Col. The third child is John Arnold, who is a farmer by occupation, and resides in White County, Ark., and Abner who died in infancy. Doctor Arnold and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. The political affiliations of the former have always been with the Whig and Republican parties. He takes a lively interest in politics, and uses every available instrumentality to promote the welfare of his party. While not an agriculturist, in fact, his sympathies have always been with the improvement of the condition of the agricultural classes and for a number of years he has been identified with various societies having for their object, the dissemination and utilization of the latest and most approved methods for the farming community. He is a member of the Rush County Agricultural Society, and has been Secretary of the Farmers' and Stock Growers' Union Association, of Rush, Shelby, Bartholomew and Decatur counties He is a member of the Rush Medical Society, the Union Distric Medical Society, the Indiana State Medical Society, the Medical Association of the Mississippi Valley and of the American Medical Association, in every one of which he has frequently been honored with positions of trust and distinction. Doctor Arnold has always been actively with the Old Settlers' Association and has been officially connected with the society ever since its formation. As a writer, he has exhibited remarkable skill and fluency, and in that capacity his historical sketches and his "Remininisinces of an old settler", a series of articles published in the Rushville Republican, have all been read with interest and have given him considerable of a reputation. He is a man of positive convictions and he does not hesitate to speak his sentiments in support of what he considers to be right. He possesses a vivid recollection of the scenes and incidents of pioneer life, and there is certainly no other living person who is so familiar with the country's early history. He is a man that has always exhibited public spirit, and there has probably been no enterprise within the radius of his associations, having for its object, the general welfare of the public, with which he has not been conspicuously identified.
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