William Arnold

William Arnold was an early English settler and a foundational figure in the establishment of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. A key associate of Roger Williams, he participated in the founding of Portsmouth, Rhode Island and later settled in the Providence Plantations, where he served as a magistrate. His lineage became prominent in colonial history, most notably through his son, Governor Benedict Arnold.

Early life and family

William Arnold was born around 1587 in Ilchester, in the county of Somerset, Kingdom of England. He was the son of Nicholas Arnold and was part of a family with roots in the region. In 1611, he married Christian Peak in Ilminster, and the couple began their family in England before embarking on their transatlantic journey. Seeking religious and economic opportunity, Arnold, his wife, and his adult son Benedict emigrated to New England in 1635, initially settling in Hingham within the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Career and contributions

Dissatisfied with the Puritan orthodoxy in Massachusetts, William Arnold and his family soon moved to the more tolerant settlement of Providence Plantations established by Roger Williams. In 1638, he was among a group of signatories, including John Clarke and William Coddington, who purchased Aquidneck Island from the Narragansett tribes. This group founded the settlement of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where Arnold was a selectman and held other civic roles. Following political strife on the island, he returned to the mainland, settling in the Pawtuxet area of the Providence Plantations. There, he became a respected farmer and was appointed as a magistrate, helping to administer local affairs and resolve disputes within the fledgling colony.

Legacy and impact

William Arnold's primary legacy lies in his role as an early settler and civic leader in the formative years of Rhode Island. His participation in the founding of Portsmouth, Rhode Island and his subsequent governance work in the Providence Plantations contributed to the development of Rhode Island's unique tradition of religious dissent and self-governance. His descendants played significant roles in colonial affairs; his son Stephen Arnold was also a magistrate, and his grandson, the third Benedict Arnold, became a noted merchant and, later, the infamous Continental Army general during the American Revolutionary War. The Arnold family's extensive landholdings in the Pawtuxet region shaped the area's development for generations.

Personal life

William Arnold was married to Christian Peak for over six decades. Their family included several children who survived to adulthood and established their own families within the colony. His son, Benedict Arnold, became a successful merchant and served as the first governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations under the Royal Charter of 1663. Another son, Josiah Arnold, was also a landowner and civic figure. The family was deeply embedded in the social and economic fabric of early Rhode Island, with connections to other founding families like the Harris and Carpenter families.

Later years and death

In his later years, William Arnold remained in the Pawtuxet area, where he continued his farming and local judicial duties. He lived through the tumultuous period of King Philip's War, a conflict that severely impacted the New England colonies. William Arnold is believed to have died around 1676, during the time of the war, in the Providence Plantations. His exact burial site is unknown, but his death marked the passing of one of the colony's pioneering generation. His extensive will, probated in 1677, detailed his substantial property and provided for his widow and heirs, cementing the Arnold family's status in the region.

Category:1587 births Category:1676 deaths Category:People from colonial Rhode Island Category:American people of English descent