Ventura County Republican Project: History and Genealogy

Ventura County Republican Project: History and Genealogy

"A Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura, California" (1891), page 332.

Henry H. Arnold (Please see Edward Arnold's genealogy of May 9th)

Henry H. Arnold, the oldest of the Arnold brothers, who came to California in 1852, and settled in Ventura County, two miles east of Hueneme, in 1871, was born in De Kalb County, Illinois, November 10, 1837. (For the father's history, see the sketch of Mathew H. Arnold, in this book.) Henry H. left his native State when fourteen years of age, and came across the Isthmus of Nicaragua to California, with the family, and settled in Marysville, in 1857. He located 160 acres of land in Lassen County, built a house and made it his home for fourteen years, being engaged in raising grain and stock. He sold out and came to Ventura County in 1871, as already stated, his father having come to this county two years previous to that time, thinking he had found the finest tract of Government land. They were more than a month coming from Lassen County, and their outfit consisted of four wagons drawn by horses, the party numbering Henry H. and Leroy Arnold, B.J. Robertson (father-in-law of the subject of this sketch), his son Frank, and their wives and children - eleven in all. They camped out every night, and as there was plenty of deer, antelope, and quails, they had all the meat they wanted. In their journey across the plains and in their pioneer life in the far West they had become accustomed to that kind of life, and enjoyed it. When they arrived at their destination they found a squatter's board shanty on nearly every quarter-section of land. Mr. Arnold went up the Sespe River to look for a place, but returned and settled in his present locality. This land proved to belong to Thomas Scott, and Mr. Arnold bought 160 acres, on which they camped for three months, or until he got a house built. In 1881 he built a better house, and in 1889 he added to it and remodeled it, until he now has a commodious home. Mr. Arnold's principal crop has been barley, and he has farmed from 300 to 1,200 acres of land. He is also engaged in raising horses, Belgium stock, and is the owner of Dandy Dick, a fine thoroughbred, seventeen and a half hands high, weight 1,720 pounds.

Mr. Arnold was married in 1866 to Miss Permilia Robertson, a native of Illinois. They have five children, Charles R. and Annie G., born in Lassen County, and the three younger, Lizie, Nellie and Eliza, born in Ventura County. Charles R. married Miss Helen Hodge, a native of California. They have a litle daughter, Hazel. This son also has a nice house on the ranch.

The subject of this sketch belongs to the A.O.U.W., and has been a life-long Republican. His first vote was cast for that great, good man Abraham Lincoln. The arnold brothers own large tracts of land adjoining each other, and are all prominent ranchers of this county.

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History and Rootsweb genealogy compiled by Tony Larson and Jon Miller.