Gov. Benedict Arnold

Notes:

Benedict was Governor of Rhode Island 1663-66, 1669-72, and 1677-78.

From "Early Records of the Arnold Family" in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register: "We came from Providence with our family to Dwell at Newport in Rhode Island the 19th of November, Thursday in afternoon, & arrived ye same night. Ano. Domina 1651. . . my father and his family Sett Sayle from Dartmouth in Old England, the first of May, friday & Arrived In New England. June 24th Ano 1635. We came to Providence to Dwell the 20th of April, 1636. per me Bennedict Arnold."

So, Benedict was 19 1/2 years old when he came to America with his family.

Benedict married Damaris Westcott 17 Dec 1640. Damaris (daughter of Stukeley WESTCOTT and Juliana MARCHANTE) was born 1 Jan 1620/21, Yeovil, Somerset, England; died 1679; was buried , Gov. Benedict Arnold Graveyard, Pelham St., Newport, RI. [Group Sheet]

1. Benedict Arnold, Jr. was born 10 Feb 1641/42; died 4 Jul 1727; was buried , Gov. Benedict Arnold Graveyard, Pelham St., Newport, RI.
2. Caleb Arnold was born 19 Dec 1644.
3. Josiah Arnold was born 22 Dec 1646; died Feb 1724/25.
4. Damaris Arnold was born 23 Feb 1648/49.
5. William Arnold was born 21 Oct 1651; died Abt 23 Oct 1651.
6. Penelope Arnold was born 10 Feb 1652/53.
7. Oliver Arnold was born 25 Jul 1655, Newport, RI; died Abt Nov 1697, Jamestown, RI.
8. Godsgift Arnold was born 27 Aug 1658.
9. Freelove Arnold was born 20 Jul 1661.

Notes:

"On June 24, 1635, there arrived in Massachusetts Bay a group of neighbors, nearly all related either by blood or marriage. They had sailed from Dartmouth in Devonshire May 1 of the same year, all but one of the party, William Carpenter, coming from Ilchester, in southern Somersetshire or within about five miles of that place. The leader of the party was William Arnold whose 48th birthday was the day of their arrival. His oldest son Benedict, one of the party, a lad 19 years of age at that time, has given us the only account that we have of their embarkation, in his own family record, written probably soon after his removal to Newport in 1651. They joined with Roger Williams in the settling of Providence, RI. In 1638 William moved about five miles south of Providence to the Pawtuxet River where he, with his two sons, his son-in-law, and his nephew, and others bought huge tracts of land from the Indians. With his sons Benedict and Stephen he owned nearly ten thousand acres of land and paid the highest tax in the colony. William Arnold's farm included a section of the most valuable part of the city of Newport, including the 'Old Stone Mill.' Benedict, son of William, was with his father when they went from Hingham to the Narragansett Bay in 1636. He moved to Newport in 1651 where he was very active in town affairs. In 1657, he succeeded Roger Williams as President of the colony until 1663 when he was named as the first governor which he was, with the exception of six years, until his death in 1678."
(The Arnold Memorial: William Arnold of Providence and Pawtuxet 1587-1675, compiled by Elisha Stephen Arnold 1935)

From "Early Records of the Arnold Family" in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register: "We came from Providence with our family to Dwell at Newport in Rhode Island the 19th of November, Thursday in afternoon, & arrived ye same night. Ano. Domina 1651. . . my father and his family Sett Sayle from Dartmouth in Old England, the first of May, friday & Arrived In New England. June 24th Ano 1635. We came to Providence to Dwell the 20th of April, 1636. per me Bennedict Arnold."

William Arnold was one of the four original founders of Pawtuxet in 1638, along with Zachariah Rhodes, William Carpenter, and William Harris.

William married Christian Peak Abt 1610, England. Christian (daughter of Thomas Peak) was born Abt 15 Feb 1583/84, Somerset, England; died 1659, Pawtuxet Village, Warwick, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

An Arnold web site says she was born 15 Feb 1583, a daughter of Thomas Peake of Muchelney, Somerset, England.

Thomas — Alce Gully. Alce was born Abt 29 Sep 1553. [Group Sheet]