Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-04-28
History of the Family OF Benedict Ar
mold.


| suppose if there is one man who's,
memory is more execrated in the Unit
ed States than that of any other, it IS
the Infamous traitor, Benedict Arnold.
1t Is we'll known that after bis escape
he entered the British service, and rose
to the rank of Brigadier General anu
that he finally died in London in the
year 1901. have recently read his
will, which was dated in d" London. 81
August, lSOO,'' and was proved "1S
July, 1901" by his widow. From i,
l learn that he had been some time re
tired on half-pay, and had received from
the Government grant of 5000 acres
OF land, chiefly in Canada, where two
OF his sons, Richard and Henry, we've
then living, engaged in farming, and,
with them as [ suppose, an illegitimate
son, named John Sage, aged about Ia.
There is nothing in his will to indicate
that he was other than the average sort
of English gentleman. He provided
handsomely for his children, leaving
their portions to be distributed to the1n
by his beloved wife with, what he
called, equal justice. He also left an
annuity of $500 for life to his maiden
sister, Hannah Arnold, who, [ believe.
long survived him, and finally died in
their native place, Norwich, Conn. He
directed that his funeral should be at
tended by no expense that could pos
sibly be avoided
His wife, you know, was Margaret.
daughter of Edward Shippen, Chief
Justice of Pennsylvania, whose family
name is still preserved in Philadelphia.
They were married in 1779. She did
not long survive him Her will dated
in g Bryanston street, London, 26 Jan
uary, 1904" was proved on the 9th of
September, in the same year. She
stated that, actuated by principles of
the strictest integrity, as well as in
conformity to the will Of her late be-
loved husband, she was earnestly desir-
Gus OF doing equal justice to all his
children, and then preceded to appor-
tion her property, which appears to
have been considerable, among them.
Besides the two sons, Richard and
Henry, who she intimated had already
had their portions. and Of whom moth
Ing more appears to be known, there
were four other sons and one daughter
viz: Edward Shippen Arnold, who
became a Lieutenant in the Bengal
Cavalry and died at Singapore in 1918
James Robertson Arnold, who rose to
the rank of Lieutenant General in the
army, and died in 1884, his widow
surviving until 1852; George Arnold,
who became Lieutenant Colonel in
the,Bengal Cavalry, and died in India
in 1928; William Fitch Arnold, who
became Captain in the Nineteenth
Lancers, and died in 1916; Sophia
Matilda, who married Colonel Pownall
Phipps, of the East India Company's
service, of the family of the Earl of
ulgrave, and died in 1928. The
youngest son, William Fitch Arnold,
(whose widow, who lived until 1868, |
probably jostled in the streets of Lon
DOM, was the only one who had, or at
least left surviving issue. He married
in 1919 daughter Of Captain Alexan-
der Ruddach, of the Royal Navy, aud
had two sons and four daughters, The
latter all married clergymen, and I be-
lieve are still living. The second son,
Captain in the army, was killed at
Sebastopol in 1856. The only surviv-
ing grandson of Benedict Arnold (un-
less the two sons in Canada left issue)
is the Rev. Edward Gladwin Arnold.
now Rector of Great Massingham in
Norfolk, and formerly Rector of Bar
row, of Chesline. He was born 25th
April, 1928, and married in 1851, the
eldest daughter of the present Marquis
OF Cholmondeley, by whom he has bad
six sons and three daughters, so that
the race seems likely to be perpetuated.
| believe he is a most estimable man,
and that the sons of Benedict Arnold
all pursued useful and honorable ca
reers. The descent of the family is
given in the last edition of Burke's
Landed Gentry, and | cannot but think
that the reverend gentleman would
have shown better taste if he had he.
gun his periodical with his father lath.
er rather than his traitor grandfather.
London Cor. Chicago journal.