1823 - 1916
Maryland - Virginia - Indiana - Iowa
Margaret Arnold was born 5 August 1823 in Allegany County, Maryland. Allegany is in the mountains; it is the skinny bit of Maryland where it arches over Virginia. It is between Washington and Frederick counties in the west and east, and Pennsylvania and Virginia/West Virginia north and south. Many of the Arnolds in the area were Dunkards - German Baptists, also known as Brethren, spiritual descendants of the Pietists and Anabaptists, whose lifestyle was much like the Mennonites. There were also Catholic Arnolds, Quaker Arnolds, and other varieties of Protestant Arnolds.
I am pretty sure our Margaret was connected to the the last group, and that her father was William I Arnold (some of whose sons and grandsons became preachers and elders in the Brethren church). William did live in Allegany County, and he did have a daughter named Margaret Ann who was born in 1823 - on August 5, according to the "Albert S Arnold Family Record"- and that just happens to be our Margaret's birth-date according to her death certificate. Nobody (online) seems to know what happened to her, and many people assume she died young, but she would have been/was the eldest daughter, and she married and moved away fairly early, so possibly people just lost contact with her. So I am quite happy with this connection.
She married Daniel J Arnold in 1840 (according to her obit), when she was 17 or so - her first child was born ~1841. I know nothing at all about Daniel’s background - the census says he was born in Virginia and I suspect he was some sort of cousin, but I don’t even have a guess as to where he connects. Nor have I found a marriage license for them, although there are a LOT of marriages published, for both Maryland and Virginia.
In 1842 or 1843 (again, according to her obits), the family moved to Ohio, and in 1846 to Indiana. It is a curious thing that Margaret's Uncle Moses was living in Ohio in 1842 - and he also moved to Indiana in 1846 - and he also moved to Iowa at the same time Margaret and Daniel did. He lived a few counties away from Margaret and Daniel in Indiana, but he was in the same county in Iowa. Something to think about.
The very first document I have for them is the 1850 census. They were in La Porte, Indiana with three little boys: Alonzo, born in Virginia, Seymour, born in Maryland, and Franklin, born in Indiana. There were no other Arnolds in the county.
1850 Indiana La Porte Wills p. 223b line 38 - taken 23 Nov
David crossed out Daniel J Arnold 39 farmer VA
Margaret A 27 MD
Alonzo 9 VA
Seymour 7 MD
(Empty space)
next page 224 line 1
Franklin Arnold 4 Ind
La Porte County has a bit touching Lake Michigan, but Wills Township is on the eastern border of the county, so they were about as far as you could get from the lake (in an easterly direction anyway). Our next ancestor, Martha Arnold was born in Indiana in July 1851. Her sister Mary J was born the next year (1852) and brother William B was born in about 1855. Shortly after that, they moved to Iowa.
According to Margaret on the 1900 census, they had 7 children, 2 still living at the time. That means there another child, name unknown, who was never recorded on any census.
They were listed in the Iowa state census of 1856 in Decatur County:
1856 Iowa State Census - Decatur County, Center Twp
Daniel J Arnold 40 VA (indexed as IA)
Margaret 30 MD
Alonzo J 14 Va
Martha M 5 Ind
Mary J 4 Ind
WNC 1 Ind
Mary J 22 NY
Other Arnolds in the county were Silvanus from New York, and Moses from Virginia. Silvanus seems not to be related, but Moses was Margaret's uncle. It is possible that the Mary J, age 22, living with them is Margaret's sister - but the birthplace is wrong.
In 1860 they were still in Decatur, as were both Moses and Silvanus, but another Arnold had also moved in - William, from Maryland, Margaret's father.
1860 Iowa - Decatur - Burrell p. 75 taken 10 July
line 10 543-519 - Daniel J Arnold 48 farmer Va
Margaret A Arnold 37 Md
Alonzo ? Arnold 19 Va
Martha Arnold 10 Ind
Natty? Kathy? WB Arnold 5 m Ind
1860 Iowa Decatur
p. 79 - William Arnold 60 MD / Elizabeth 56 MD
Mary 26 / Rebecca 24 / Ruffina 18 / Hannah 16 / George A 14 - all b. MD
Ada M 11/12 MO
William died in 1865 (he is buried in Decatur Cemetery) and his family - except for Margaret - moved to Fremont county, 4 counties to the west of Decatur. Margaret and Daniel moved to Des Moines, 3 counties north.
Daniel and son Alonzo were listed in the 1866/7 Des Moines city directory:
(available online at the Polk County GenWeb site)
Arnold D. J., teamster, h South Coon, Indianola Road
Arnold Alonzo, teamster, South Coon, Indianola Road
By the 1870 census, all their children except William were gone.
1870 Iowa - Polk - DesMoines 1st ward, Image 5/32 p. 142a
Arnold, Daniel 58 teamster Va
Margaret 46 Md
William 15 Ind
Seymour and Franklin and Mary J were missing from the 1860 census, so perhaps something happened to them - they were really too young to be on their own.
Alonzo would have been old enough to be on his own - he would have been 29. There is a marriage for an Alonzo Arnold in 1864 in Warren County, the next county south of Des Moines:
Alonzo P Arnold - Caroline C Campbell - 24 Sept 1864 - Warren Co, Iowa
from the Ancestry.com marriage database.
But I have not found him on later censuses (the last trace of him is a listing in the 1866 Des Moines City Directory), so.
It is possible that Martha was married. There was a marriage for a Martha C Arnold and Vincent W Knapp in 1868, but I haven’t found them in the 1870 census for sure. There is a SIMPSON Knapp in Nebraska in 1870, with a wife Martha of the right age and state-of-birth to be ours:
1870 Nebraska Dakota Covington p. 6
Knapp Simpson 22 Ill
Martha 19 Ind
George W 1 Iowa
Simpson and Vincent sound vaguely alike, and it is just barely possible that this is our Martha. [Note June 2011 - This is probably not our Martha - I found a David S Knapp, with a wife Martha, in later censuses - mostly in South Dakota. The identity of Simpson and David S seems more likely than my original theory.] But if so, something happened to Vincent/Simpson, because in 1875, Martha married Charles Pattee (back in Des Moines), and by 1876, they had moved to Nebraska
In 1880, Daniel and Margaret were still in Des Moines, and Daniel was still a teamster. They had two grandchildren living with them.
1880 Iowa Polk Des Moines (index list)
Daniel Arnold mw66 Va Ky Ky teamster
Margaret 56 Md Md Md
William grandson 11 Ia - Ind
Mary R granddaughter 9 Ia - Ind
1885 Iowa State Census - Polk County - Des Moines
Daniel J Arnold 73 VA
M A 63 MD
William 16 —k
Rosie 14 —k
It is difficult to know who these children belonged to. Alonzo married in 1864, but his wife remarried in 1868, before these children were born. It is possible they belonged to Martha and Vincent Knapp IF it was our Martha who married Knapp. They are probably not William’s children, first because William would have been awfully young to be a father - in 1869, he was about 14 - and also because William seems to be alive and well and also living in Des Moines and working as a teamster (he married Lizzie Speroeslege in Des Moines in 1875):
1880 Iowa Polk Des Moines 1st ward - SD3, ED160, p. 35
Arnold, William 28 Ind Va Md teamster
Elizabeth 27 NY Baden Baden
Molly M 4 Ia Ind NY
Archie 1 Ia Ind NY
Young, Jennie servant Pa Pa Pa
In 1889 (according to Margaret's obit) , Daniel and Margaret left the big city and moved to Winterset, Iowa. That is in Madison County (as in The Bridges of . . .) and is just southwest of Polk County. Daniel died there in 1892, and is buried in the Winterset Cemetery. Margaret didn’t die until 1916. In 1895 and 1900, both she and son William were living in Madison County:
1895 Iowa State Census - (Madison County?) - 1st wd
Margaret Arnold 71 MD
1895 Iowa State Census - (Madison County?) - 1st wd
William B Arnold 42 Ind
Lizzie 44 NY
Mattie 19
Archie 16
Blanche 13
Capitola 3
1900 Iowa Madison Winterset SD 40, ED 21, Sheet 25 (stamped 167a) 254
Arnold, Margrete head wf Aug 1823 76 wd 7 ch/2 liv Md Md Md
1900 Iowa Madison Winterset SD80, ED 21, Sheet 30?a - 29 June - 172 -
Arnold, William B head wm Nov 1852 47 m25years WV, Md, Md - day laborer
Nettie? E? wife Nov 1850 8ch/4liv Ny, Germany, Germany
Archie F Oct 1878 21s Ia WV Ny day laborer
Calista? July 1891 8 Missouri, WV NY - this would be Capitola
Daughter Martha had moved out to California by this time, so it is possible that Margaret never saw Martha’s (other?) children or grandchildren.
In 1901 (again, according to Margaret’s obit), she moved in with another widow, Nancy Holbrook, and it was apparently a happy arrangement, thanks to the generosity of Nancy's son. The obit mentions their little garden, their happy friendship and thrifty industry.
William’s wife Elizabeth died in 1903 (buried in the Winterset Cemetery), and in 1904 he married Mamie Olwen; by 1910 he was back in Des Moines:
1910 Iowa Polk DesMoines 7wd 253b - SD7 ED169 Sheet 16b - 728- 29 Apr
Arnold, William B mw 56 m2 5yrs Pa Pa Pa driver lumber co
Mammie B fw31 m2 5yrs 2ch/0liv Ark Ark Ark
In that year (1910), I found Margaret living in Winterset with her friend:
1910 Iowa Madison Winterset 3rd ward - SD7, ED23, Sheet 7A (25) - 22 Apr
Holbrook, Nancy head fw 89 wd NC, NC, NC (looks a bit like HOLLAND)
Arnold, Margaret roomer fw 86 wd Md Md Md
Margaret died in 1916, and is buried in the same cemetery as Daniel
Margaret A Arnold 1823 - 6 Mar 1916
DJ Arnold - 11 Nov 1882
Winterset, Madison, Iowa
Margaret's Death Certificate:
Place of death:
County of Madison
Township of Center
City or town of Winterset
Full name: Mrs Margaret A Arnold
Sex: F Color: White Date of death: March 5, 1916
Date of birth: August 5, 1823 Age: 92 years, 7 months, 0 days
Single, married, widowed or divorced: widdow (sic)
Birthplace: Allegany Co, Maryland
Name of father: Arnold
Birthplace of father: do not know
Maiden name of mother: ditto
Birthplace of mother: ditto
Occupation: Housekeeper
The above stated particulars are true to the best of my knowledge and belief
(informant) Harry Holbruck
(Address) Winterset, IowaThe Doctor's portion of the certificate (signed by G N Skinner, MD) stated that he attended her from the 1st to the 4th of March; that she died on the 5th; that the cause of death was paralysis, with a contributory of senility.
Place of burial or removal: Winterset Cemetery Date of burial: March 9, 1916
Undertaker: J A Ramsey Address: Winterset
So I immediately worried about the senility factor - we seem to be racking up a lot of senile ancestors - but then I thought about her age - 92, for goodness' sake. And her obit (one of them at least) mentioned her "perfectly clear mind." Phew!
The obits (from the Madison County GenWeb website):
Winterset Madisonian, Wednesday, March 8, 1916, Page 1
Aged Resident Passes Away
Mrs. Margaret A. Arnold died on Tuesday, March 7th at the advanced age of 92 years and 6 months. She was a native of Pennsylvania, marrying D. J. Arnold in 1840. In 1842 the family went to Ohio, thence in Indiana three years later and on to Des Moines in 1864. Winterset became their home in 1889, Mr. Arnold dying in 1892.
For fifteen years she has been living with Mrs. J. D. Holbrook in a pleasant and congenial comradeship. She suffered a stroke of paralysis a week ago, resulting fatally yesterday. Out of a family of seven children, only one son living in Des Moines and a daughter living in Los Angeles survive her. She leaves as descendants, seven grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren. The funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 at the Baptist church.Winterset Madisonian, Winterset, Iowa March 22, 1916
MRS. MARGARET A. ARNOLD
The death of Mrs Margaret A. Arnold, Tuesday, March 7th, removed a most unusual character from our community. Although Mrs. Arnold had attained the unusual age of over 90 years, her mind was perfectly clear and her judgment still excellent. In spite of her years she gained and retained to her death a large circle of friends who esteemed her highly.
With Harry Holbrook's mother, Mrs. Arnold had kept house, caring for their little garden and contributing a picture of delight in their happy friendship and thrifty industry, which the neighbors will sorely miss this coming spring.
Mrs. Arnold was born in Alleghany county, Maryland, Aug. 5, 1823. She was married to D. J. Arnold in 1840. Mr. Arnold passed away in 1892. Seven children were born to them: five sons and two daughters. In 1843 the family moved to Ohio and from there to Indiana in 1846. In 1854 they removed to Winterset sic and in 1889 to Winterset. In 1901, after many vicissitudes, Mrs. Arnold found a haven with Mrs. Holbrook whose son, Harry Holbrook generously included in his provision for his own mother for the last 15 years.
Mrs. Arnold had been a faithful member of the Baptist church for a great many years and continued to attend divine service when her extreme age made it nearly impossible for her to walk the distance.
The funeral service was held in the Baptist church March 9th, her pastor, Rev. Frederick Donovan conducting the service. Rev. J. S. Corkey was also present and spoke a few words. Interment was made at the Rock City cemetery. A granddaughter of Mrs. Arnold was present from Kansas City.
OK - according to the obit, two of Margaret's own children were still alive in 1916 - they would be William in Des Moines, and Martha Pattee in Los Angeles. Seven grandchildren: William's children - Mattie, Blanche and Capitola; Martha's children - Alice Louella and Thomas Lindsay; AND the two who were with her in 1880 and 1885, William and Mary Rose. Fifteen great-grandchildren: Mattie's 3 - Geneva, Gladys and Gertrude; Blanche's 3 - Floyd, John and Robert; Alice Louella's 3 - Walter, Ethel and Elmer; Thomas Lindsay's 4 - Martha and Mable, Bernice and Leland - AND children of the unattached grandchildren? The problem is, I haven't found William, and the possible I've found for Rose had 4 children by 1900, and only 2 are needed here.
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Page last updated 5 Oct 2011