Lemuel Hastings Arnold (January 29, 1792 – June 27, 1852) was an American politician from the U.S. state of Rhode Island. A Whig, he served as the 12th Governor of the State of Rhode Island and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Lemuel Hastings Arnold
Official Rhode Island State House portrait by James Sullivan Lincoln
12th Governor of Rhode Island
In office
May 4, 1831 – May 1, 1833
LieutenantCharles Collins
Preceded byJames Fenner
Succeeded byJohn Brown Francis
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Rhode Island's 2nd district
In office
March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1847
Preceded byElisha R. Potter
Succeeded byBenjamin Babock Thurston
Member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives
In office
1826–1831
Personal details
BornJanuary 29, 1792
St. Johnsbury, Vermont
DiedJune 27, 1852 (aged 60)
South Kingstown, Rhode Island
Resting placeSwan Point Cemetery, Providence, Rhode Island
Political partyWhig
Spouse(s)Sally Lyman Arnold
Catherine Shannard Arnold
RelationsJonathan Arnold
Theodore F. Green
Isaac P. Rodman
ChildrenRichard Arnold
Sally Lyman Arnold
Alma materDartmouth College
ProfessionLaw

Early life

edit
 
Portrait of Arnold at about the time of his Dartmouth College graduation

Arnold was born in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, the son of Congress of the Confederation delegate Jonathan Arnold and Cynthia (Hastings) Arnold.[1] His father died soon after his birth, and Arnold's mother moved the family to Rhode Island. He attended the local schools and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1811. Arnold then studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1814. He began the practice of law in Providence, Rhode Island, and practiced law there for seven years before becoming involved in manufacturing.[2]

Career

edit

He began his political career as a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives, serving in the State House from 1826 to 1831.[2] In 1831, he was elected Governor of the State of Rhode Island, and served as governor from 1831 to 1833.[3] Arnold also served as a member of the Rhode Island Executive Council during the Dorr Rebellion from 1842 to 1843.[4]

Following an unsuccessful attempt for a seat in the United States Senate in 1845, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives as a member of the Whig Party and served one term from 1845 to 1847.[5]

 
Grave of Lemuel Arnold at Swan Point Cemetery, Rhode Island

After leaving politics, he practiced law in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, until his death on June 27, 1852.[6] He is interred in Swan Point Cemetery in Providence.[7]

Family life

edit

Arnold was the great-great-uncle of U.S. Senator Theodore F. Green.[8]

Arnold married Sally Lyman, and they had nine children.[9] Their son, Richard Arnold, was a brigadier general in the Union Army during the Civil War.[5] Their daughter, Sally Lyman Arnold, was married to Union Brig. Gen. Isaac P. Rodman, who was mortally wounded at the Battle of Antietam.[10] After his wife Sally's death, Arnold married Catherine Shannard.[11]

References

edit
  1. ^ "ARNOLD, Jonathan, (1741 - 1793)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  2. ^ a b Brown, John Howard (1900). Lamb's Biographical Dictionary of the United States, Volume 1. James H. Lamb Company. p. 123.
  3. ^ U.S. Government Printing Office (1903). Congressional Serial Set. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 366.
  4. ^ United States. Congress, and Enyart, O. M. (1903). A biographical congressional directory, 1774 to 1903: The Continental Congress: September 5, 1774, to October 21, 1788, inclusive. The United States Congress: the First Congress to the Fifty-seventh Congress, March 4, 1903, inclusive. Govt print. off. p. 36.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ a b The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. James T White & Co. 1899. p. 395.
  6. ^ Lanman, Charles and Morrison, Joseph M. (1887). Biographical Annals of the Civil Government of the United States: From Original and Official Sources. J.M. Morrison. p. 13.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ "Notable Persons Interred at Swan Point Cemetery". Swan Point Cemetery. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  8. ^ "GREEN, Theodore Francis, (1867 - 1966)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  9. ^ "History of Washington and Kent Counties, Rhode Island". Rhode Island USGenWeb. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  10. ^ The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. James T White & Co. 1899. p. 396.
  11. ^ Capace, Nancy (2001). The Encyclopedia of Rhode Island. North American Book Dist LLC. p. 174. ISBN 9780403096107.
edit
Party political offices
First National Republican nominee for Governor of Rhode Island
1831, 1832
Succeeded by
None
Political offices
Preceded by Governor of Rhode Island
1831–1833
Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Rhode Island's 2nd congressional district

1845–1847
Succeeded by