Biographical sketch extracted from:

Biographical and historical record of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1887. pp. 772-776.

ELI ARNOLD, an active and enterprising business man of Mount Zion, where he is engaged in mercantile pursuits, is a native of Ohio, born in Wayne County, June 12, 1829, a son of Samuel B. and Mary (Phillips) Arnold. His father was a native of Maryland and of English and German ancestry, and at an early age was taken by his parents to Pennsylvania. When twelve years of age he went with his parents to Wayne County, Ohio, and there he grew to manhood, and was married to Mary Phillips, who was born in the State of New York, of English descent. They made their home in Wayne County until about the year 1835, when they removed to Medina County, Ohio, and from there came to Wells County, Indiana, in October; 1838, by ox team, being three weeks in making the journey. Eighty acres of timber land had been entered in Jackson Township for Mr. Arnold before they came out, and while he was clearing a small place and building his cabin the family lived with William Clark of Chester Township, whom they had known in Ohio. Mr. Arnold’s cabin was 18x20 feet in size, covered with a board and pole roof, a hole cut in the wall served for a door, and this aperture was covered with a quilt. At first they had no fireplace, and their food was cooked on a fire built between two sleepers. Samuel B. Arnold came to the county a poor man, having but 37 cents in his pocket, but being handy with tools he had no difficulty in obtaining work. Game of all kinds was abundant, and Mr. Arnold became one of the greatest deer hunters of the county. He lived to enjoy tbe fruits of his years of toil and to see the surrounding country change from a wilderness to its prosperous condition. He died January 16, 1875, at the age of seventy-five years. His widow still survives, and is making her home with a daughter who resides on a farm adjoining the old homestead. Although eighty years of age she is still active and does her own housework. Eli Arnold, the subject of this sketch, was in his tenth year when brought by his parents to Wells County, and here he was reared to manhood and educated in the schools of his neighborhood. He was a soldier during the war of the Rebellion, enlisting September 25, 1861, in Company A, Forty-seventh Indiana Infantry. His regiment rendezvoused at Camp Sullivan, Indianapolis, crossed the Ohio River at Louisville, Kentucky. Their first engagement was at New Madrid, Missouri, and after the evacuation of that place by the rebels the latter occupied Island No. 10, and Mr. Arnold’s company was one of four that dragged a cannon of twenty-four pound calibre to a point opposite Tiptonville by hand, where they dug rifle pits and masked their cannon and the following morning fired on the rebels while they were passing. The rebels came up with six gun-boats, which were silenced by the four companies above mentioned and their one cannon, and one rebel gunboat was disabled. Mr. Arnold was promoted to First Lieutenant, his commission bearing the date of October 19, 1862, and after that was in a number of minor engagements up to the siege of Vicksburg. He participated in the siege of Vicksburg, the engagement at Jackson, Mississippi, was in General Banks’ Red River expedition, and in the thirteen days’ skirmishing while building the dam across that river. After the Red River campaign, he was on duty along the Red, Arkansas and White rivers, and afterward in Tennessee. He was honorably discharged at Memphis, Tennessee, December 30, 1864, when he returned to his home in Wells County. Mr. Arnold followed farming in Wells County until 1867, with the exception of the time spent in the service of his country, and in the fall of that year he bought an interest in a general mercantile store at Montpelier, Blackford County, Indiana, to which place he removed. He remained in Montpelier eight years, and the last two years spent there he carried on the business alone. He then moved to his farm near the old homestead in Jackson Township, where he followed agricultural pursuits four years, after which he spent one year in the mercantile business at Dundee. He then started a store on his farm, which he conducted four years. He then carried on business at Five Points about twenty months, when he removed to Mount Zion, where he had established a store in February, 1885, and by his fair and honest dealings and genial and accommodating manners he has gained the respect and confidence of his customers, and built up a good trade. Mr. Arnold has been twice married. For his first wife he married Hannah Maria Nixon, March 22, 1854, who died December 30, 1874. Nine children were born to this union, of whom five are living—Samuel E. married Melinda Slater, and resides in Lane County, Kansas; William N., of Jackson Township, married Susan C. Moffitt; Eli L. carries on his father’s store at Van Buren; Jennie J. and Schuyler C. Four died in infancy—Alice L., Melissa E., Thomas E. and one who died unnamed. Mr. Arnold was married a second time June 10, 1875, to Miss Lurinda Hart, a native of Stark County, Ohio, and a daughter of John W. Hart, who came from Ohio to Indiana, and settled in Blackford County. Three children have been born to this union—Abner C., Susan J. and one who died in infancy. Mr. Arnold is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and also of the Patrons of Husbandry. In politics he affiliates with the Republican party. He is an elder in the Christian church. Is at present and has been for several years a notary public.