Introductory comments:
One of the interesting aspects of genealogy is reading and hearing various accounts of the early immigrants' origins and migrations. Though there is often some kernel of truth in the accounts, many of these recollections defy verification. (Note that I didn't say "completely bogus.") And one has to be on guard for the intentional or unintentional fabrication.
Early in my research I was trying to make a connection between the Isaac Arnett of NJ and my David Arnett of Russell Co, VA and later Knox Co, KY. To satisfy my own need for a link I created a hypothetical ancestor "Jacob Arnett" and wrote a brief narrative history of the family's presumed migration. Although this account clearly stated that "Jacob" was a fictitious entity, the story got picked up (not on the internet) by a friend and eventually found its way as a statement of fact into a DAR Journal!.
Walter Cullars shared a recent letter from a fellow searcher who noted that "a cousin tried to trace the history but got nowhere so he made it up as he went along." And the letter goes on to say, "Now, he walks around dressed like an Indian, walking a part dog and part wolf, and people are wondering about his sanity."
Nevertheless, there is some merit in sharing some of the letters and possible legends which I've gleaned over the years from various books, letters, personal conversations, vertical files, etc. For some of these I've added my own comments in brackets, and will be happy to add other comments as they are submitted. Hopefully you'll be able to sift these for some kernels of truth. I've arranged these more or less by regional or family groupings.
John Arnett,
Louisville, KY
Pennsylvania Groups
PA-1 Four Arnett Brothers, immigrants to Pennsylvania
Early in my searching I heard that three or four brothers came over from Scotland and entered at Philadelphia. One of these eventually settled in California.
-- John Arnett
North Carolina Groups
NC-1: Valentine Arnett of Maryland and Stokes Co, NC
Valentine Arnett who lived in MD and then probably was the one to move to Guilford Co, NC and later Stokes Co, NC, is said to have come from Ireland by most of those following this line.
NC-2: Valentine Arnett and son Andrew J. Arnett
Eric Wood sent a copy of a letter to Walter Cullars which was written by Wesley H. Arnett of California to Mrs. Ernest A. Reed in 1938:
"My father, J. Andrew Arnett suggested I write you..[various random Arnett data].."
Statement of J. Andrew Arnett [presumably in the letter] "Four brothers came from Scotland, settled in Maryland, moved to North Carolina before the Revolution. I believe they fought in that war. Andrew Arnett b. 1792 N.C. was the youngest of seven brothers who settled in seven diffenent states. Enlisted 1812 from Tenn. under Andrew Jackson, and was his Secretary, but took field at New Orleans. Moved to Illinois where his father had moved, helped organize that territory into a state. Member of the First Legislature (m. 1815) Son, James b. 1816 Ill. migrated to N.E. Missouri in 183. Joined Scottish Highlanders from NC. and had 11 children between James, and William including twin boys, and twin girls. m. Elizabeth Brelsford after the death of his first wife and had Johnson William, Albert Alvin and I believe two daughters..." -- from Eric Woods to W. Cullars, copy of e-mail in J.W.A. files.
[more info about Johnson William Arnett's family in file]
NC-3: William Arnett of PA and his Four Carolina & Georgia Sons:
Walter Cullars has focused particular attention on a statement made by "Red" Nunnally in a penciled note in the book, "Robbins & Related Families of the South" by Elizabeth Herrington. "Red" wrote the following:
"It is believed that John Arnett, ancestor of the Arnett family of Screven County (GA) was a son of Major William Arnett, and a brother of Captn. Peter Arnett. David Arnett, believed to be a brother of John Arnett was killed in the Battle of Savannah at the time that Sgt. William Jasper was wounded."
There's a discussion of this topic on Walter's website: http://members.surfsouth.com/~cullars/announcement.htm
South Carolina Groups
SC-1 John and David Arnett of South Carolina; ancestors of W.W. Arnett
William Washington Arnett recorded the following in his 1885 "Reminiscences:"
"I was born on the 5th day of January A.D. 1823 -- I was the last of or youngest of the family--My father was named David Arnett and was the only son of John Arnett--he was born in South Carolina as also his father and any number of his brothers--that is my grandfather's brothers--The Arnett family went to South Carolina from the Eastern shores of Maryland--before the Revolutionary war with England--The Arnett family must have went from some place to the eastern shores of Maryland, I recon they did, but as I don not know anything about it and as tradition says nothing about it I will have to leave you to form your own opinion in regard to where they came from or whether they came at all--My grandfather and his brothers served with General Francis Marion against the British and Torys in South Carolina on the Peeslee [Pee Dee] and surrounding country. Finely, emigrated to Tennessee in time to fight the Indians there...My father moved to Alabama at an early date and there in Franklin Co., I first appeared on the carpet." --from a written memoir in the library at Austin, compiled and edited by Sage McKenzie in 1988. [Copies of this appeared on Sage's internet site and have also been sent by Gerald Watkins]
West Virginia Groups
WV-1: James Arnett of West Virginia
"C. W. Arnett, cashier of the Bank of Fairmont...son of William and Eleanor (Meredith) Arnett...[C.W. Arnett's] paternal grandfather, John Arnett [actually prob. James] was of German nativity, but an early settler on the 'Eastern shore,' Virginia [prob. MD], where he and a brother, Andrew Arnett, emigrated in 1785 to the vicinity of the present village of Arnettsville, Monongalia County, [WV] where they became the owners of six hundred acres of land." - from Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Monongalia, Marion and other counties, pub. 1895 -- J.W.A. files
WV-2: Thomas Arnett of the Eastern Shore and James Arnett of West Virginia.
"Joseph Edward Arnett, Sr., was born April 18, 1901...prominent resident of Marioin County for eighty-three years...Joseph's lineal ancestry, of English origin, descends from Thomas Arnett, a sea captain of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, through his son, James, who migrated into the Monongahela Valley with several children, pruchased 400 acres of land and were among the early settlers of Arnettsville. James Arnett died about 1818." -- from History of Marion County, West Virginia, pub. about 1990. -- J.W.A. files
WV-3: Thomas Arnett of the Eastern Shore and James Arnett of West Virginia.
Glenn D. Lough published in 1969 a history of Marion County, WV: "Now and Long Ago" in which he has the following statements:
"Here are the names of a few of the king's men, who fought in the French and Indian War. It is believed that most of them have descendants now living in the Marion County area: George Leggit, captain...Thomas Leggit, lieutenant...James Arnett, Dorset, Maryland...All these men entered the service in Pennsylvania. (See Pennsylvania Archives, second series, v. 2.)....
"The following men served from Virginia...James Leggit...
"Mr. Sylvester Arnett (1846-1927), of Rivesville [WV], told this writer [Lough] that the Thomas Arnett (1816-1899) was the son of Andrew and Elizabeth [Leggit] Arnett. He [Sylvester or Thomas ?] said the Arnetts were of English-German descent, and that his ancestor, Thomas Arnett, was a ship's master, and sailed an English vessel, the Seven Brothers by name (or it may have been the Three Brothers; he wasn't quite certain) for years..
"The first Arnett to live in the Marion County area, he said, was James Arnett, who settled at (now) Arnettsville, in 1789, and purchased land there in 1791. This James Arnett was born and reared in the old Thomas Arnett homestead, on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, but lived in Virginia and Pennsylvania before making a permanent settlement at (now) Arnettsville. He said that Mrs. James Arnett's maiden name was Mary Michael, and that her brother, Daniel Michael, married Mary Arnett, her husband's sister.
"This writer is aware that his story differs considerably from the stories most often told (published) [I've not seen these] concerning this James Arnett, who, his grandson, Thomas Arnett, said (the Heck Interviews) was a Maryland soldier, and served in Pennsylvania, during the French and Indian War." --Glenn D. Lough, Now and Long Ago, A History of the Marion County Area; 1969.
WV-4: James Arnett of West Virginia:
In his manuscript on the Arnetts of West Virginia, typed in 1941, the parents of James Arnett, the early settler of the Monongalia Valley, are attributed to be Isaac and Hannah White Arnett, but this is not borne out by the current evidence of the Arnetts of WV or NJ.
-- J.W.A. files
KY-1: William Arnett of Graves Co, KY
Four or five brothers in KY or TN were trying to decide where to go and decided at a campfire one night to toss four or five sticks into the air (each representing one of the brothers), and whichever way the stick landed was the way that particular brother should go. -- told by Karen Arnett, a descendant of William and Rosa Porter Arnett.
[There may be some shred of truth in this, Ann Watson notes, since there was some history of a family disagreement and brothers in Tennessee went their separate ways.]
KY-2: Samuel and William Arnett of Nicholas County, KY:
I found the following letter in the vertical Arnett files of the KY Historical Society in Frankfort, KY:
"May 21, 1956... Sirs,
"It has been suggested to me by a librarian at our state Library that you possibly have books listing names of Confederate soldiers and Union soldiers from the sate of Kentucky. I know that my grandfather, William Marion Arnett, from Carlisle, Nicholas County, Kentucky, served on the side of the Union, and I know in which he served. I am interested, however, in obtaining similar information regarding his brothers: David, born 1834; Jeptha, born 1841; and possibly James, born 1848, was well as his [William Marion Arnett's] father, William Arnett, born 1813, married to the former Matilda Eubank; all of Carlisle. I do know that this was a divided family--hence the necessity of searching both sides.
"Also, perchance, do you have any data on Samuel Arnett, the son of James Arnett of Louisa County, Virginia, married to the former Nancy Ammons, who was the father of William Arnett born in 1813; who [prob. Samuel] operated the old "Indian Queen Hotel" on the old Maysville Road in Nicholas County? He [Samuel], of course, was my great-great grandfather."
"I am interesed in acquiring any knowledge I can pertaining to the family for a book I am writing [I haven't seen the book], and I will be everlastingly grateful for any aid you may give me....Very truly yours, Jayne Berman (Mrs. Alfred K. Berman), Indianapolis, IN"
--J.W.A. files
KY-3: Larue County Arnetts
H. Arnett shared the following letter with me which was written about 1944 when Mrs. Bostic was about 79 yo:
"For Mr. Arnett:
In about the year 1848 Lucy Arnett, a widow, came with her family by covered wagons from some place in Virginia to LaRue Co, Kentucky. Her family was 4 sons: Joseph, James, William and Stephen Arnett and 1 daughter Mary Arnett Dooley (my grandmother). They all settled around what is now Tamer, except William who bought land near Buffalo, KY. James Arnett, whose wife's name was Sarah, was your great grandfather. The children of Uncle Jim and Aunt Sallie that I can recall were Douglas Arnett ("Dug"), Wood Arnett, Nannie Arnett, Straney and William Arnett who was your grandfather. He married Elizabeth Cruse, and their children were:
Robert Arnett, you probably know him,
William Thomas, Elizabethtown, who married Bertha Cook,
Alex, your father,
Sarah Arnett Hornback, living in Louisville
Carrie Arnett Underwood, deceased,
Mary Bird Arnett Cruse, living near Magnolia,
Mandy Jane Arnett, I don't know what became of her.
Nancy May Arnett married Virgil Tharp, lives in or around Hodgenville
Flora Arnett, who was deaf and dumb. She died soon after her father died.
After your grandfather's death (I believe he died in 1900 or 1901) your grandmother Arnett married a Mr. Cruse and they had a child named Iva Myrtle. I have no idea where she is or if she's living, even. Your grandmother died in 1924. I imagine your grandfather was born in Virginia, as my grandmother's 5 girls were born in Virginia. My mother was about a year old when they came to KY, and I expect she and your grandfather were near the same age. This may give you a little information you don't have. I believe your great grandfather's brothers are all dead. I know that his only sister Nannie Straney is dead. Nannie Straney has a son James H. Straney... -- Mrs. John Bostic" -- J.W.A. files
KY-4: David Arnett of Russell Co,VA and Knox Co, KY:
There is frequent confusion between the two contemporary David Arnetts of KY. The David Arnett who served in the Rev War was born 1752 in Louisa Co, VA and married Mary Shackelford. He moved to KY in the late 1790's and settled eventually in Barren Co, KY. The other David Arnett is first recognized on a 1799 tax list in Russell Co, VA and subsequently is listed in Knox Co tax lists along with his presumed sons Reuben and Stephen. Elmer Decker wrote a manuscript about 1945, "History of Knox County and Eastern Kentucky" in which he listed all of the men in the 1810 Knox Co census who were over 45 yo. His list included a list of men from Virginia and North Carolina. Then there is a list of men from other states or the "Eastern shore of VA or NC" David Arnett appears on this second list, and on this basis some have assumed he was in the Rev War. I haven't seen the raw data for the 1810 Knox Co census if it even exists, but it might have a notation of state of origin of David. No will of David Arnett has been found. There was a family Bible (lost) in the Green family in which David's birth had been allegedly given as 6 January 1735 and his date of death listed as 12 September 1825. Mrs. E.L.W. Salyer and others have questioned whether the date was actually 1755 rather than 1735 since he wasn't tax exempt until 1811 -- J.W. Arnett.
KY-5: David Arnett of Knox Co, KY from the letters of H.G. Arnett
This is a transcribed copy of a letter sent from H.G. Arnett (grandson of Reuben Arnett and presumed greatgrandson of David Arnett) sent to his first cousin, once removed, Charles D. Arnett (Charles' father, Philip H. Arnett and H.G. Arnett were first cousins.)
"Hendricks, Ky., July 1928
Honorable Charles D. Arnett, Attorney-at-law, Louisville, Kentucky
Dear Friend,
I received your card, several days ago, and to fully comply with your request, would require a manuscript covering several large volumes, however, I am sending you a compendium of the genealogies so far as I am informed and remember, which no doubt is much more than you have been able to acquire from our illiterate ancestors, of the older type. . .
The original two Arnett families migrated to Magoffin County (now) Ky. from Harlan County (now) Ky. in the year 1814 (the year my father, Ambrose Arnett, Sr. was born)
Their names, were Stephen Arnett, Sr. who married a Hanby [actually Elizabeth Howard] and Reuben Arnett, Sr. who married Susan Kilgore, who went by the name of Howard, her mother's maiden name, as she was an illegitimate. . . She was my grand mother and your great grandmother.
Well, Stephen Arnett Sr. and family pitched their tent and settled at the Meadows of the Licking River, now Royalton, KY. and Reuben Arnett, Sr. pitched his tent and settled on the now E. B. Dyer farm, where your father and you were reared to manhood, now known as Hendricks, Ky. These were the two pioneer families, who first settled what is now Magoffin County, Ky. I was informed that those two Arnett's father's name was David who came to Harlan County from old Virginia or the Carolinas just after the Revolution war, and his father came from Scotland during said war and he wrote his name David Arnette, accented on "nette." Well, the old home farm where you were born, reared and enjoyed liberty, and privilege and the glories of your hallucination, will be long remembered by all the Middle Fork Arnetts. Now I will extend on the offspring of Reuben Arnett, Sr. and his wife Susan. . ." --- J.W. Arnett files
KY-6: Lineage of Charles D. Arnett -- Reuben Arnett and Four brothers ?
Evidently Charles D. Arnett didn't believe all that H.G. Arnett had written him or found other differing data, or his biographer didn't get the facts straight in this following sketch which appeared in "Kentucky Democracy, A History of the Party and it's Representative Members-- Past and Present" by George L. Willis, Sr, pub 1935.
"Hon. Charles D. Arnett, Kentucky's secretary of state, elected in November 1935, has long been numbered among the foremost corporation lawyers of Louisville. He was born in Hendricks, Magoffin County, Kentucky, March 9, 1879, his parents being Philip H. and the late Elizabeth Miranda (McQuinn) Arnett, also natives of this state. Philip H. Arnett, born Hendricks, August 13, 1853, was a representative of a pioneer family of Magoffin county of Scotch-Irish descent. The American progenitors of the family were Reuben Arnett, great-great grandfather of our subject, and his four brothers, who settled in Pennsylvania prior to the Revolutionary war. Reuben Arnett, Jr. left the state of Virginia to cast his lot with the early settlers of Kentucky, and his son, Reuben Arnett, here devoted his attention to agricultural pursuites throughout his career. Philip H. Arnett, son of Reuben Arnett and father of Charles D. Arnett, was active as a farmer, stock raiser and horse trader in Magoffin county and the state of Georgia for many years, but lived retired for a number of years previous to his death, on November 1, 1935." --J.W.A. files
[One could speculate that Reuben Arnett [called Jr. by Willis] was the nephew rather than the son of David Arnett, and that David and Reuben, father of Reuben, were two of five brothers in Pennsylvania. There's no doubt that Reuben and Stephen were brothers, but there's no document that clearly states who their father was. There's no record yet found of a Reuben Arnett in PA. -- J.W.A.]
This page first uploaded 8/9/2000
revisions --
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