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Below is a family biography included in The History of Cole County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Charles A. Arnhold is a successful young merchant of Brazito, Mo., and has been engaged in business in that place since 1880, carrying a stock of goods valued at from $7,000 to $9,000. After reaching manhood he was married to Miss Theresa Guenther, a daughter of Frederick, and a sister of Herman Guenther, and by her he has a family of three children: Alma, Dora and Laura. Mr. Arnhold is a stanch Republican in politics, and belongs to the I. O. O. F., Mount Pleasant Lodge No. 95, and he and his family are members of the Lutheran Church. His father, Christopher Arnhold, was born in Prussia, April 9, 1814, and was a son of Henry and Catherine (Moher) Arnhold, the mother being a daughter of William Moher, of Prussia. In 1842 he came to the United States, landing at New Orleans, and came directly to St. Louis, in which city he remained two years, working at his trade (that of carpenter), which he had learned in his native land. In 1843 he came to Jefferson City, where he was married to Miss Pauline, a daughter of Gotleib Frisch, by whom he became the father of four children, three of whom survive: Louisa, wife of John Vogel; Emma, wife of William Fischer, and William, who is a farmer of Camden County. All are married and are parents. In 1852 Mrs. Arnhold died, and her husband afterwards wedded Miss Elizabeth Workman, a daughter of Valentine Workman, who came to Cole County, Mo., from Hesse Darmstadt. During the war he was killed in the house in which Mr. Arnhold now lives, which he was occupying with his son-in-law, Charles Schwartz, being brutally shot down by what was then known as Rebel Bushwhackers. He had stepped from the dinner table into the hall, when he was fired upon without warning, but managed to run to the room where his wife was, who caught him in her arms and pleaded with the approaching ruffians to spare his life, but one of them answered her brutally, and stepping up, placed a pistol to her husband’s head and shot him dead, his life blood pouring over his wife. By his second marriage Mr. Arnhold became the father of four children, two of whom are living at the present time: Charles A., our subject, and Bertha, who married Herman Guenther, and resides with her parents, her husband assisting her brother Charles in his store. Mr. Arnhold began merchandising in Jefferson City in 1866, and the following year moved his stock of goods to Brazito. Previous to this he had been residing in Camden County, but during the war, when Price made his raid through Missouri, they drove Mr. Arnhold, his wife and five children from home, set their house on fire, and also burned a mill, store-house and barn. Mr. Arnhold had several valuable notes in his house which were consumed. In 1880 he sold a one-half interest in his store to his son Charles, and in 1885 the latter became sole proprietor.

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This family biography is one of 127 biographies included in The History of Cole County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Cole County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Cole County, Missouri family biographies here: Cole County, Missouri Biographies

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