Laura Jackson Arnold

hanna260

Sergeant Major
Joined
Mar 1, 2015
Location
Just Around the Riverbend
Okay- so wasn't sure whether to post this here or in the Stonewall forum but I figured that this remarkable lady needed a tribute where all the other remarkable ladies received theirs.

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So, Stonewall's sister. First came across her when reading Rebel Yell, where he mentioned that she and her brother were extraordinarily close. Their mother died when they were little and despite getting farmed out to various relatives, they clung to each other as the only immediate family they had left.

They sent tons of letters to each other before the war but we don't have any record of what she sent to him. The author of Rebel Yell says that from looking at his responses, she was sensitive- got offended quite easily, and very strong-willed- perhaps a family trait? He would often talk to her about her relationship with God in his letters. Jackson was always very loving- in the letters he often revealed a side of him that you don't see, reading about him as a ferocious man of battle, referring to himself as "your affectionate brother" and she apparently got along quite well with Anna- Jackson's second wife.

She was so strong-willed, that she was an arch Unionist, despite a famous brother in the Confederate army and a Confederate sympthasizer for a husband- their marriage fell apart and she divorced him in the 1870s. "In a May 1863 letter to his wife, in which he discusses the fighting near Beverly, local attorney Mortimer Johnson wrote: Mrs. J. Arnold - sister of Gen. Jackson - went off with the Yankees. Arnold stayed at home, says he is a good southern man, that his wife is crazy, but Hell he says, could not govern a Jackson. See more here: http://civilwarwomenblog.com/laura-jackson-arnold/"

This was her and her husband's house.

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She was fully behind the Union war effort. "Laura Arnold was well remembered by convalescing Union troops, one of whom wrote that "her fragile form was almost ubiquitous in the hospitals, and with her own tender hands she soothed the aching temples of many a dying soldier boy, far away from the loved ones at home." Also found here: http://civilwarwomenblog.com/laura-jackson-arnold/

She and her brother never saw each other during the war and she is said after he died to have said something to the effect that while she mourned his loss, it was better for the country that he was gone.

She died in September 24th 1911, after I believe at least 20 years of poor health, which she spent in a sanatorium. One hopes her and her brother were re-united in wherever souls go in death.
 
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Jackson and his sister were very, very close as kids. They were always being bumped around from relative to relative and it made them close. One of Jackson's favorite places was across a river where the old Jackson sawmill was, and a grove of trees. (He mentioned that place in the context of a heavenly place as his last words.) They would spent hours there together. As they got older, though, Laura began to question religion, even the existence of God, and that heartily alarmed her brother! She asked him how she could believe in a God when trouble abounded, and he replied, "When a storm comes and the dark clouds hide the sun, do you think it is gone forever? Neither is God gone when trouble comes." She still retained doubts, and that very much upset her brother. She believed in the Union whole heartedly and once said she could patch up Union soldiers as fast as her brother could shoot them! There was a rumor started that she was more than a little friendly with some of them, but there doesn't seem to be any real proof of that. It was probably just a thing to put her down as some considered her treasonous and a bad light for Stonewall. It seems, before they were estranged, that Jackson was so concerned about her that he lost his first wife and child. His wife was heavily pregnant when he got word his sister was having serious difficulty with her pregnancy. He loaded up the wife and bounced over the bad roads to see about his sister. She had a fine, healthy baby boy and was all right. However, Jackson's wife became ill and when she had the baby, both of them died.
 
They were always being bumped around from relative to relative and it made them close.

I must dig through several files, but I have lots of notes on these people pre war. The notes are (aside from the divorce) are in other files about other things and I took them down when I stumbled across them in the records. I have one note somewhere that Stonewall's father filed for bankruptcy. Stonewall's uncle Cummins, the owner of the mill, had an illegitimate child with one of my gggg aunts. He (Cummins) was a litigious guy, had law suits against lots of people. My ancestor George Adam Bush was the patentee of a lot of that mill property in the 1700s. It was called "Petro's Fish Pot" then. It is beautiful country and they have a great historic site there with period buildings, a park, and bit 4H center.
 
I must dig through several files, but I have lots of notes on these people pre war. The notes are (aside from the divorce) are in other files about other things and I took them down when I stumbled across them in the records. I have one note somewhere that Stonewall's father filed for bankruptcy. Stonewall's uncle Cummins, the owner of the mill, had an illegitimate child with one of my gggg aunts. He (Cummins) was a litigious guy, had law suits against lots of people. My ancestor George Adam Bush was the patentee of a lot of that mill property in the 1700s. It was called "Petro's Fish Pot" then. It is beautiful country and they have a great historic site there with period buildings, a park, and bit 4H center.

This is good stuff! I know Uncle Cummings is buried out here somewhere, near Mt Shasta. Nobody knows where, though! I'd reckon it was this side - gold country. He'd written some letter to the homefolks that he'd struck it rich but didn't say where the strike was.
 
I knew he left and went to California panning. I saw a letter once to the effect "have you heard uncle Cummins is dead."

There is a big Jackson history around here. They (the Jackson researchers) claim that stonewall had an illegitimate child here in this county in the 1840s as a young man. I tried to confirm it but alas, the only missing court order book in the entire courthouse is the one for 1841-1844. :cautious:

I only wish when I was looking into other things (and jotting down Jackson notes in passing) that I had taken the interest to get it all put together into one file. I'll poke around in my (messy) cabinet and post some stuff.
 
I knew he left and went to California panning. I saw a letter once to the effect "have you heard uncle Cummins is dead."

There is a big Jackson history around here. They (the Jackson researchers) claim that stonewall had an illegitimate child here in this county in the 1840s as a young man. I tried to confirm it but alas, the only missing court order book in the entire courthouse is the one for 1841-1844. :cautious:

I only wish when I was looking into other things (and jotting down Jackson notes in passing) that I had taken the interest to get it all put together into one file. I'll poke around in my (messy) cabinet and post some stuff.

I love Jackson - intriguing fellow, he! I'd read somewhere that there was a rumor he had a child in Mexico during the war there. Robertson doesn't give it weight, but does mention that Jackson was so sweet on a lovely Mexican senorita that he learned Spanish just so he could talk to her!
 
Hanna, you have launched a great thread. I am really enjoying all the responses. Thank you!

Yeah, I was not expecting this sort of responses: I was kind of expecting the thread to die a quiet death. @Al Murray, @16thVA and @diane thanks for the replies, guys! Having notes on the divorce file and of course, the general knowledge on display here, is absolutely amazing.
 
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So, Stonewall's sister. First came across her when reading Rebel Yell, where he mentioned that she and her brother were extraordinarily close.

Randolph County WV Chancery 6/135 Arnold vs. Arnold – final order entered August 1870.

-Joseph Hart deposition: Jonathan Arnold arrested 1863 or 1864, a petition was circulated for his release

-William Nixon Harper deposition: January 1863 deponent attended school at Jonathan Arnold residence taught by the chaplain the 2nd Va Regiment named Bolton. School in north wing, 5 days a week 8AM-12, 1PM-4. Harper was aged 11 in 1863. Bolton occupied one bed in the room

-Squire Bosworth deposition: deponent lived across the street in Beverly prior to the war, Laura Jackson Arnold labored under what the old women called falling of the womb, also breast and bronchial trouble.

-Hannah Bosworth deposition: every family in town had borders to make ends meet and for protection. Conduct of the Union Army not good, Yankees took everything and left nothing to live on. You had to go to the commissary to get anything.

-Edith Crawford deposition: Mrs. Kittle was the only one who didn’t have boarders. She devoted her time to cooking and baking for them. She was turned out of her house by federal authorities for refusing them rooms.

-Philadelphia Blackman deposition: We left Beverly in March of 1864.

-Betsy Harper deposition: Once Col. Hall came in with a relative from Massachusetts who wished an introduction to General Jackson’s sister.

-Margaret Chenoweth deposition: deponent resides across the street. Had heard rumors about Mrs. Arnold. Mrs. Arnold was a Union woman.

-Sarah Fitzwater deposition: lives 1 house above Dr. Bosworth

-Maria Blackman deposition: deponent rode out with Laura Jackson Arnold to Rich Mountain to gather rocks for soldiers’ graves. Mrs. Brown, B. W. Crawford, Absalom Crawford, Mr. Goff, Mr. Claude Goff (sic) and Rev. Thomas’ families all left during the war, and Blackmans.

-Milton Hart deposition: the Arnolds were separated by the fall of 1865

-Nelson Fitzwater deposition: deponent lives across the street from Arnolds.

-Mattie J. Hanshaw deposition: deponent was educated at Morgantown Female College. Resided Beverly 2 years. The rules of politics and etiquette quite different from other places she resided.

-Lucinda Leonard deposition: Jonathan Arnold was arrested in October of 1863

-Joseph A. Simpson deposition: Headquarters of Col. Augustus Morrell of 28th Ohio was at residence of Eli Kittle. The house of Adam Crawford is opposite the house of Kittle. Mr. Arnold’s in a north direction from Kittle about 50 yards and on opposite side of the street.

-Orlando Woolwine deposition: the 2nd WV was stationed at Mr. Isaac White’s about September-October, 1863, commanded by Latham and Col. Harris. Deponent lived about 3 miles from town on the back road from the Staunton and Parkersburg Pike at Ryan’s to the said pike (sic) between John Hornbeck’s and Robert Crawford, passing through White farm. It was notorious that Mr. White was very fond of woman (sic) all his life.

-L. D. White deposition: age 34, raised about 1 mile from Beverly, now live about 7 miles away by the nearest way.

-Jehu Harper deposition: deponent lives about 5 miles from Beverly

-William Rowan deposition: More headquarters of the 28th Ohio was in the north end, the new part of Eli Kittle’s. Mr. Arnold voted against secession and was a Union man.

-Nancy Ann Kittle deposition: deponent lived about 12 miles west of Beverly for the first two years of the war until the Yankees drove me from home.

-Solomon Caplinger deposition: deponent lives 3 miles north of Beverly

-Dr. George W. Yokum deposition: his house was taken for a hospital about March 1, 1862 and Yokum stayed at Mrs. Earle’s until July 1.

-Joseph Hinchman deposition: lives about 6 miles east of Beverly at William Daniels’ saw mill. Deponent saw Mrs. Arnold on a couch with a man. Most soldiers felt Mr. Arnold was a good Union man and that Mrs. Arnold had sent him off wrongly for reasons known best to herself.

-Richard J. Lambert deposition: lives about 3 miles south of Beverly

-Isaac M. Vineyard deposition: Isaac White lives about 18 miles south west of Beverly

-Emaline ?McCinic? deposition: deponent kept a journal. Rosser’s Raid January, 1865. Federal troops return March 1st, the 1st WV Veteran Infantry

-Silas Moore deposition: saw Laura Jackson Arnold through window in arms of a soldier

-George Ross deposition: deponent was chief clerk for staff quartermaster of Gen. Averill. Boarded at Arnold’s. Mrs. Arnold was strongly opposed to the politics of Stonewall Jackson and said she had heard Mr. Arnold cuss the USA. Gen. Averill’s headquarters were in Leonard Hotel. After Mr. Arnold’s arrest Mrs. Arnold associated entirely with the opposite sex. Deponent’s wife’s schoolmates in Beverly he understood would not go to see her. The house was a favorite resort for soldiers. Mrs. Arnold’s zeal for the Union amounted to a mania. There were not many houses in Beverly where Union sympathizers could get boarding. Most women in Beverly were rebel sympathizers.

-Catherine Phares deposition: Mrs. Arnold had her furniture sent to Grafton on government wagons as the furniture was considered safer there.

-August Moor deposition. A former soldier. Mr. Arnold was a rebel sympathizer, Mrs. Arnold a Union sympathizer. Mrs. Arnold’s house was robbed and the tracks led to a neighbor’s house. Deponent had it searched. Posted guards until the evacuation of his 28th Ohio in March of 1864. Union people evacuated Beverly in March of 1864. Deponent advised Mrs. Arnold to remove valuables to the railroad. Was ordered to evacuate infantry, 28th Ohio and 10th WV brigaded together July 1863-March 1864.

-J. H. Mark deposition: of the 28th Ohio. Used to go to Arnold’s to get information on the loyalty of citizens or when soldiers confiscated property and Mrs. Arnold called for protection.

-Dr. George Mendenhall deposition: (describes Mrs. Arnold’s medical condition)

-Grace Evans deposition: lives Springfield, Ohio. Is the daughter of Jonathan Arnold. From June-July 1861 the rebels boarded at Arnold’s. July-August rebel prisoners were quartered there. Mr. Fracker of Gen. Rosencrans’ army was Mrs. Arnold’s 1st cousin. John Hill boarded there in 1862. Jonathan Arnold wanted boarders so the family could get provisions from the commissary. Laura Arnold was sick and almost died, Louisa Collett helped care for her. Marital problems between the Arnolds started before the war. Jonathan Arnold has no respect for the Bible and religion. He said it was all tomfoolery. He kept a large library.

-W. D. Hall deposition: was a captain in Co. C, 10th regiment. Deponent saw a letter from George R. Latham to Mrs. Arnold. She had written to him for advice on marital problems and he advised her to bring suit against Arnold. Mrs. Arnold called Mr. Arnold a Vallandigham man. Deponent is a distant relative of Mrs. Arnold. Mr. Arnold was considered a rebel at the time of his arrest.

-Ellen Tygard deposition: deponent is former Ellen McCarty. Mr. Arnold had her help put things in saddle pockets saying he was going away. He started across the river without a pass. “The next thing we knew” he was in the guard house, fall of 1863. Frank Phares was the sheriff and lived at the jail.

-James M. Jackson deposition: Mr. Arnold was at deponents house in Clarksburg after his arrest. He said that Mrs. Arnold had informed authorities that he was going south but he was going to take the children to Morgantown or Wheeling or Pittsburgh to school. Deponent is the half brother of Mrs. Arnold’s father.

-Minor C. Hall deposition: Mr. Arnold denied intention of going south. Deponent’s wife is ?own? cousin of Mrs. Arnold.

-Edward M. Carpenter deposition: deponent’s mother was a Jackson, he and Laura Jackson Arnold are cousins.
 
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