History of Knox County Illinois 1912
During more than a half century Benjamin F. Arnold has figured conspicuously in the public life of Galesburg and Knox county, as a lawyer, a real-estate dealer and an agriculturist, and as a citizen whose interest in public affairs has prompted active and helpful cooperation in many measures for the general good. If a pen picture could accurately delineate his life such might be given in these words: A progressive spirit ruled by more than ordinary intelligence and good judgment; a deep earnestness impelled and fostered by indomitable perseverance; and a native justice expressing itself in correct principle and practice. He was was a native of Greene county, New York, and a son of the Rev. Horace Arnold, Sr., who was a soldier of the Revolutionary war. He became a minister of the Baptist church and, removing with his wife to Cairo, Dutchess county, New York, they there spent their remaining days, passing away at an advanced age. Their family numbered four or five sons, including Horace Arnold, who was reared in the Empire state and served his country as a soldier of the war of 1812. In early life he learned and followed the mason's trade. From Greene county he removed to Otsego county, New York, about 1817, and later became a resident of Delaware county, that state, where he resided for some time and there died in 1850, at the age of fifty-two years. In early manhood he had wedded Harriet Hine, who was born in Greene county, New York, and after his death came to Galesburg, to live with her son Benjamin F., with whom she remained for thirty years, passing away at the age of ninety-three years. She was of the Methodist faith, while her husband held to the Universalist faith. In their family were fifteen children, fourteen of whom reached years of maturity : Mortimer; Noble; Mrs. Hannah Wilbur; Martha, who became the wife of Ichabod Wilbur; Seymour; Elijah; Edward; George; Benjamin F.; Elida; Harriet, who married Hiram C. Smith; William; Julia, who also married; and Mary. The other member of the family died in early life.
Benjamin F. Arnold spent the greater part of his youthful days upon a farm in Delaware county, New York, pursuing his education in one of the old-time log schoolhouses, where the curriculum was limited, yet thorough instruction was given in the fundamental studies. Later he became a clerk in a hotel, following that pursuit in the winter months, while the summer seasons were devoted to agricultural pursuits. At length he came west to Galesburg in 1856 and has since made his home here, covering a period of fifty-five years. The first salary which he ever earned here was fifty cents per day. In the winter he took up the profession of teaching but later turned his attention to the real-estate business and while thus engaged began studying law in Galesburg under the direction of Judge Smith and E. P. Williams. In May, 1862, he was admitted to the bar and for about fifteen years continued in the practice of law, being associated for half of the time with Judge Douglass and during the remainder with Judge Kitchell. His business often took him to Springfield, where he made the office of Abraham Lincoln his headquarters. This was in 1857 and 1858. In 1860 he attended the democratic national convention at Baltimore. It was in that convention that he heard Ben Butler's famous speech. Mr. Arnold had been reared in the democratic faith but after spending some time in Missouri and Kansas and being a witness of the conditions that there existed he joined the ranks of the new republican party and has never faltered in his allegiance thereto since that time. Moreover, he has ever kept well informed on the questions and issues of the day, supporting his position by intelligent and comprehensive argument. For over a half century he has also been engaged in the real-estate business and his operations in that field have been unusually profitable, contributing at the same time to the welfare and progress of the community. He has laid out twelve additions to the city of Galesburg and has erected over two hundred houses, selling them on monthly payments. He has also carried on farming on an extensive scale, cultivating not less than a section of land for over forty years. In the summer of 1857 he purchased a quarter section of land and throughout that summer engaged in breaking prairie. This was the beginning of his connection with farming interests, with which he has since been identified, and the rich soil of the Prairie state has amply rewarded his efforts in this direction.
On the 26th of May, 1864, Mr. Arnold was married to Miss Ella Ferris, a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Hudson) Ferris. Mrs. Arnold was born in Galesburg, while her parents were natives of New York, the birth of her father having occurred north of Utica, where her grandfather had settled at an early day. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ferris were early settlers of Galesburg, the former spending his first year in Knox county in a dugout. He was, indeed, one of the earliest settlers here and his labors constituted an element in the growth and progress of the community. His father, Sylvanus H. Ferris, was one of the first residents of Galesburg, sent out here to locate Knox College. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Henry Ferris there were born five children who reached adult age: Alfred, who was supposed to have been murdered by the Mormons when on his way to California; Harriet; Ella, who became Mrs. Arnold; Timothy; and Lilly C., the wife of Congressman Prince, of Galesburg. Of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold there were born nine children, Ella May, the eldest, became the wife of Edwin M. Williams but both are now deceased. They had two children, Dorothy and Edwin. Laura, the second daughter, is the wife of George A. Felt, of Galesburg, and they have two children, Eleanor and Rebecca. Henry, who is engaged in the insurance business in Galesburg, married Anna Ward, of Springfield, and has two children, Esther Pauline and Henry Ferris. Wilfred, a lawyer of Galesburg, wedded Nina Lahann, of Monmouth, Illinois, and has one daughter, Katherine. Frances is the wife of Frederick C. Wood, of Galesburg. Louis E., a dentist of Salt Lake City, Utah, wedded Marie Raymond, and they have one son, Raymond. Ray M. is a lawyer and also owns large tracts of land in this vicinity. Elizabeth H. is the wife of Dr. Charles H. Lowman, of Los Angeles, California, and Harriet is at home. The mother is a member of the Congregational church and Mr. Arnold is prominent in Masonry, holding membership in Vesper Lodge, A. F. & A. M., Galesburg Chapter, R. A. M., and Galesburg Commandery, K. T. Mr. Arnold has lived in the same house for forty-seven years, his home being at No. 759 East Main street. From time to time, however, he has added improvements to his place, ever keeping it one of the attractive and modern residences of the city. In public affairs he has ever been deeply and helpfully interested and his name has become inseparably interwoven with the history of this city. For fifteen successive years he served as a member of the city council, ever exercising his official prerogatives in support of measures for the general good. For one term he served as mayor of Galesburg and he has assisted in the execution of many public commissions. He was on the building committee for the erection of the Central Congregational church, also for the public library, the Brown Hotel, the Union Hotel, the Commercial block and the gymnasium of Knox College. For many years he has been one of the trustees of Knox College and at all times has been a friend and champion of education. Such in brief is the life history of Benjamin F. Arnold, who though he has now passed the age of seventy-eight years is still in a considerable measure an active factor in the business life and interests of his adopted county. His intellect early grasped the eternal truth that industry wins and industry became the beacon light of his life. He realized, too, the fact that opportunities slip away from the sluggard and tauntingly play before the dreamer but that they surrender to the individual with high purpose, undaunted courage and indefatigable determination. He has, therefore, employed those qualities in every relation of life and has today "the blessed accompaniments of age—honor, riches, troops of friends.