The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-04-07
Rened:ct Arnold,s Family.


Lieut.. Gen. James Robertson Arnold died in
London on Dec. 9th. He was second son of
Benedict Arnold by Margaret his wife, daugh--
ter of Chief Justice Shipper of Pennsylvania.
He entered the corps OF royal Engineers in
1898, and served more than half q century,
He married Virginia, daughter of Bartlett
Goodrich, Esq, OF the Isle of Wight, and for his
military services was created a knight of Han
over. was appointed aid-de-camp to William,
w. and was presented with costly sword'' !
The above named officer was the oldest Of
four children which Arnold's second wife. Miss
Shipper, of Philadelphia, bore him. viz. James
Robertson. Edward, George. and Sophia. His
first wife bore three sons viz. Benedict, Rich
ard, and Henry. Benedict, the oldest, was an
officer of artillery in the British army, and, it
is believed, was compelled to quit the service;
he died young in the West Indies Henry en-
tered the kings service after his fathers de-
fiction, and was lieutenant Of cavalry in the
American Legion. He accompanied his father
to St. John. and was employed in his business
He slept in the warehouse near Lower Cove in
that city, and lodged there the night the build
lug was burned. He lived afterwards at Troy
New York, with his aunt Hannah, and was en-
gahed in mercantile pursuits. At subse-
quent period, he removed TO Canada, where he
is now man of property. He received half
pay and grant of lands from the British Gov
ernment In 1892 he also was lieutenant of
cavalry in the American Legion, commanded
by bis father. In most every. particular his
history is Identical with that of his brother
Henry. Persons are still living at st. John
who resided there when Gen. ArnOld's store
was burned. The impression was, at the mo.
ment, and still is. that the fire was caused by
design, and for the purpose of defrauding a
company in England, that LID underwritten
upon the merchandise which it contained to an
amountfar exceeding its worth. These per-
sons differ as to the fact, whether Arnold him
self was at st. Johns, or absent in England, at
the time of the fire and hence the degree of
blame which should be attached to the two
sons may be uncertain. That both Henry and
Richard slept In the store on the night of the
confagration, and that neither could give a
satisfactory account of its cause seems, howev-
eli, to be certain. James Robertson, whose
recent death is mentioned above, was the only
one of the four children which the traitors
second wife bore him, that was born in Ameri-
ca. At the time of the treason he was child,
| and had just reached West Point from Phia-
delphia, with his mother. He entered the Brit
ish army in 1798 and rose to the rand of Colo.
mel of Engineers He was stationed at Bur-
muda from 1916 to 1918, and from the last
named year until 1923, was at Halifax, and the
commanding officer of engineers in Nova Sco-
tia and Brunswick While thus in command
he was at St. John, and on going into the house
built by his father in King street. (Which is
still standing) he wept like child. He was
a small man, his eyes were ofremarkable sharp
ness, and in features bore a striking resemb-
lance to his father. A gentleman who had
been in service with, and was intimately ac-
quainted with him, speaks OF him in terms of
high commentator, and relates that he has
often heard him express strong desire to Wis
it the United States. Since the accession of
Queen Victoria he has been one of her Majes-
TVS aids-de-camp. In 1841 he was transferred
from the engineer corps, and appointed Major
General, and knight Of the Royal Hanover
ian Guelphic Order.
Edward, the next son, was some years ago in
banking house in England. George, in 1916.
was an officer of dragons. Sophia-of her
fate nothing is known. 1t may he added, that
the first General ArnOld's mother had six chill
dren. of whom he and his sister Hannah alone
lived to the years of maturity. This sister ad-
hered to her brother Benedict throughout his
eventful aud guilty career. and was true to
him in the darkest period of his history. She
died at Montague, in upper Canada. in 1903
and was, as is uniformly stated, lady Of ex-
celent qualities of character-BOston Bee.