My Genealogy Hound

Seth Arnold, one of the prosperous and substantial farmers of Groveland township, Oakland County, where he owns a fine farm of 250 acres in sections 15 and 23, was born in that township, January 24, 1838, and is a son of Storm and Rowena (Hall) Arnold, the former of whom was born in New York and the latter in Massachusetts.

The Arnold family was founded in Michigan by Albert Arnold, the grandfather of our subject, in 1834, when a great part of Oakland County was still a wilderness. He was a native of New York and followed a farming life both there and in Michigan, dying in the latter State at the age of 90 years. He left three children: Storm, Jacob and Mrs. Hannah M. Northrup.

Storm Arnold lived in Onondaga County, New York, until he accompanied his parents to Michigan in 1834. Like many more of the prominent and substantial citizens who now own acres and acres of fine land in Oakland County, the Arnolds journeyed here from Detroit behind a yoke of oxen, accepting bravely with this primitive mode of transportation the other hardships of pioneer life. Storm Arnold took up 160 acres of government land in section 36, Groveland township, and built the log house in which our subject was born. It is almost impossible for the residents of these comfortable farm houses and the owners of these well cultivated lands, if of a younger generation, to realize the discomforts which attended their pioneer forefathers when all the wheat had to be shelled by hand and one of the great problems of the large families was to secure enough cornbread and game to support life until the ground could be cleared, cultivated and crops harvested. Mr. Arnold was robust, temperate and industrious, and for years was a very successful man, but in later life misfortunes fell upon him which deprived him of the labor of years. He died at the age of 84 years. His children were: Mrs. Lanny Bingham; James J., of Tuscola County, Michigan; Seth, of this sketch; Albert and Harrison, of Tuscola County, Michigan; and Jacob, of Hillsdale County, Michigan. After the death of his first wife, Rowena Hall, Storm Arnold was married to Maria Gardner.

Seth Arnold has spent 43 years on his present farm, owning 215 acres of arable land in section 15, and 35 acres of valuable woodland in section 23, Groveland township. He has carried on extensive farming and stock raising, making a feature of Shorthorn and Durham cattle, high grade Merino sheep, Poland-China hogs and Percheron and Clydesdale horses. His leading crops are potatoes and hay, and he has a producing orchard of six acres, from which are obtained some of the finest apples that reach the city markets.

In October, 1862, Mr. Arnold was married to Nancy Wilkins, who was born in New York and accompanied her parents to Michigan. Three children have been born to them, namely: Mrs. Estelle Wells, who died leaving three children, — Edith, Claude and Clifford; Mrs. Jennie Mann, of Ortonville, Oakland County, who has four children, — Ross, Edla, Arnold and Russell; and Mrs. Fanny Campbell, who resides at home and has two children, Launce and Allen H.

In politics Mr. Arnold is a Democrat. For 40 years he has been a Mason and is a Knight Templar in the order. He was one of the early supporters of the Grange movement and has been an active member. He is held in much esteem for his honorable, upright character. Portraits* of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold accompany this sketch, being presented on a preceding page.

*Editor's note: Portrait was included in the original printed book.