St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-11-30
THE TOWNS FOUNDER.
A Portrait Of Jonathan Arnold Presented to
St Johnsbury.

delightful affair of great significance
historically occurred in the Art Gallery |
OF the Atheneum last Friday afternoon,
when Lemue Hastings Arnold OF New
York presented to the town a fine oil
painting Of the foundefof st. Johnsbury,
DR.. Jonathan Arnold. About so Of the
townspeople had gathered for the occa-
sion and besides the generous donor and
his wife there were two young men in the
party, Messrs. Goodwin and Gould. The
latter was a member of the 81 New
York cavalry, regiment which won
lasting honors at San Juan Hill. Lemuel
Hastings Arnold, 4th, now student in
Phillips Academy, was unable to be
present on this most interesting occasion.
Rev. Dir. Edward T. Fairbanks intro
duced the speaker by brief historical
address. Among other things he said,
''the original proprietor and founder OF
ST. Johnsbury, Jonathan Arnold, was
member of congress from Rhode Island
served in the revolutionary war as SOL
der and surgeon, and was esteemed by
all who knew him. In 1856 he obtained
a grant Of this own from Gov. Chitten.
den. He came here the following spring.
He was a citizen OF st. Johnsbury only
six years, as he died in 1898. But his
influence over the men who accompanied
him was very great. He left widow,
Mrs. Cynthia Hastings Arnold, and amin
FAINT son. The latter, Lemuel Hastings Ar
mold, LIST, was governor and afterwards
represented his state in congress. Since
his birth there has been at least one Lemuel
Hastings Arnold in the family, and two
are now living, the donor OF this picture
and his son.
"A few months ago while Lemuel
Hastings Arnold. Sd, was visiting in this
vicinity, he expressed the wish that he
should like to perpetuate the name Of
his ancesto or in some way in the town
that he founded. He suggested present
ing the town with portrait and you
have been invited here today to meet and
greet the donor and look for the first
lime upon the picture of the founder OF
this town."
Mr.. Arnold was greeted with hearty
applause as he started to present the
gilt and said that he felt overwhelmed by
the kindness of the words and of the
gathering. He said he thought it was
very proper that we should have some
memorial of the man who first settled
here and that it was a great pleasure to
him to order the portrait painted. 1t
was taken from a porcelain miniature
made 116 years of ago. Lest the dress
might excite some suspicion and seem in
appropriate to Vermont pioneer he
would say that the miniature was taken
while DR.. Arnold was attending the ses-
sion of the Continental Congress in Phil.
ielphia. 1t must also be remembered
that he was not only sitting for his pic
ture but engaged in paying attentions to
his second vile.
Dr. Fairbanks responded very cordially
and uniquely to this presentation by say
ing upon the face OF our first town father
At first, he said, we were a little sur
prised to see this courtly gentleman in so
fine dress, this gentleman who lived so
happily and well. 1t was much removed
cleared 40 acres in st. Johnsbury in one
from the Evolutionary face OF the man who
spring. The speaker then wove into his
talk many historical illusions of the early
life OF DR.. Arnold. closing with reference
to DR.. Arnold's slave, Ruth Farrow, who
lies buried in the family lot in our ceme-
terry.
At the close OF these brief and informa
addresses those present had the pleasure
of meeting the donor and his party and
exchanging social greetings.
The following notes in regard to the
, portrait are furnished the CALIFORNIAN
by the donor. This portrait OF DR. iona
than Arnold was paint d BY Richard
, Ciieted. well known artist OF New
, York 1t was copied from miniature o.
DR.. Arnold which belongs to Mrs. Benja
e min Aborn oil Orange, N. and which
was given to her by her father. Lemue
Hastings Arnold, DR.. Arnold's Youngest
son This miniature in porcelain is be
: lieved to be the only original picture o
n Dr. Arnold in existence. 1t wa> prohahl,
painted in Philadelphia, in 1882 or 1883
{ where DR.. Arnold was attending the ses
o sions OF the Continental Congress o
. which he was member, representing thu
y state OF Rhode Island. He was thei
e about Al yeats old. The miniature
|e which is probably over $50 wears old. i
still in lair state OF preservation. MI
y Crieheld was able to copy from it tn
le provincial features which can easily b
< distinguished as well as the expressio
Of of the countenance, The costume is on
As that was worn by a gentleman in thos
s. days and the portrait closely follows TIL
&c miniature in that respect. While
i, seems very elaborate, it was the style
~ dress that prevailed at that time bot
abroad and in America, and as DR.. A
mold was then paying his addresses
Miss Barr whom he soon at erwar
is married, it is probable that he desired I
lly appear to the best advantage when
by sat for his miniature.