August 10, 1981: Mary Speac, who is now the only resident on the east side of the road, is a descendant of Lawrence Arney. She told us that she had seen the grave of Henry Arney in the cemetery on the Don Collenbaugh farm. We finally found the cemetery on the Collumbough farm, sort of south and west of Arney on one of the typical winding, overgrown roads that must have been an Indian trail. Henry's gravestone is barely legible. It was just a large rock with some other letters still readable that had been scratched in with a sharp instrument. What we could make out was HE??? ARN?Y SEP 27 18??It was the first burial ground set aside in Jefferson Township on land that had belonged to Henry Arney Sr.
∼Johann Heinrich "Henry" Arney, Sr. (1755-1830)

Preferred Name: Henry Arney, Sr.

Born: 21 November 1755
Yorktown, York County, Pennsylvania, United States

Died: 27 September 1830
Jefferson Township, Owen County, Indiana, United States

Parents:
Jacob Arney (17??-1782)
Anna Ursula KRON (1722-1761?)

Henry Arney and his sons, were among The Founders of The Old Dutch Bethel Church, A Church Of Christ, which is still active today. Early meetings were in the homes of the members, and the official church was organized in 1825 in a meeting held in the home of Henry Arney. They agreed to "take the New Testament as their only rule of faith and practice." They practiced thrine immersion (under three times for Father, Son, Holy Ghost), night communion, and feet washing. Discipline was sometimes harsh. Their first building was erected in 1830 of hand-hewed logs, with fireplaces at each end.

THE WILL OF HENRY ARNEY:

Henry Arney made his will 18 September 1830, and it was probated 9 November 1830. His will was as follows (have tried to preserve original punctuation and spelling):

"Be it remembered that I Henry Arney of the County of Owen and state of Indiana the Eighteenth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty do make ordain this my last will and Testament first I Recommend my body to the Earth at my decease to be buryed in a decent burial and my soul to the him who give it. Second I will and bequith to my Biloved wife Mary Magdaline a suport her lifetime with beding and other house hold furniture necessary for the same and live where she pleases. Thirdly I will and biqueth to my Sun Larance Arney Eighty acres of land on which I Reside at this time with all my farming tolls together with a choice of one horse at my death and all the increase of the horses from this date until my death Forthly as it Respects my other property and money I wish it to be Equally divided amongst my Children at my death and at the death of my wife I wish the property which is left of her support to be Equally divided amongst the Children by my Executors whom I appoint and put special trust in to have all the management of all my property to pay all my just debts and Collect all debt that are due me I allso appoint Henry Arney and John Arney my Will beloved sons my Executors as witness my hand and seal the year and day first above written.


I am of sound memery for my age as ever I was Henry Arney (seal)


Signed in present of us

Henery Littlejohn

Jefse Roark