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Note: See earlier section on Thomas Arnold in Volume I of this book. Thomas Arnold came to America aboard the "Plain Joan" in May, 1635 landing at Hingham, Massachusetts. He lived in Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1640 and was admitted as a Freeman on May 13,1640. He married, Phoebe, daughter of George and Susanna Parkhurst, in 1640, and had the children listed below. It appears that he later married Susanna, the widow of a minister named Simmons. H. Minot Pitman's "Some Arnolds of Smithfield, R. I.", in the 1983 publication of "The Genealogies of Rhode Island Families", Vol. 1, p. 62, States that Thomas Arnold was granted land in Watertown the division of lands of 1635. In 1648, he bought land from his father-in-law George Parkhurst, which he later sold to his brother-in-law, George Parkhurst, Jr. On October 1, 1651, he was fined 20 shillings for offense against the law concerning baptism. He evidently neglected to have a son, (not Eleazer), baptized within the time prescribed by the church. On April 2, 1654, he was fined 5 pounds for neglecting public worship for 20 days. A year later on April 2, 1655, he was again fined, this time 10 pounds, for neglecting public worship. A daughter then married a Baptist and shortly thereafter he sold out in Watertown and moved to Rhode Island. In 1658, (one account says 1661), he sold out in Watertown and moved to Smithfield in Providence Colony, (Rhode Island). In October, 1661he sold land in Watertown to John Whitney. In October, 1662, he sold his house, barn, and sixteen acres in Watertown to John Wincoll. In February, 1665 he was granted lot 83 in Providence in a division of lands. In 1666-67-70-71-72 he was Deputy, and one of the Town Council of Providence in 1674. He died in 1674 leaving no will, having a large estate of lands, (said to have been 20,000 acres), goods, and cattle disposed of only by his mouth. On June 29 1683, it was agreed by the widow, Phoebe, and Richard, (their eldest son), Thomas, John, Eleazer, also sons of the deceased and Elizabeth Comstock, his daughter, that there should be five instruments of covenant prepared and signed by all of them, Samuel Comstock, signing as husband of Elizabeth, that "whereas the said deceased Thomas Arnold did by word of mouth leave his mind with his wife and children how they should divide his estate of lands, goods and cattle among them after his decease, the aforementioned, all and every one of them do hereby endeavor to propagate and perform to the best of their abilities, &c. To Phoebe, the widow, the lot bought of William Fenner with orchard, and at her decease the same to revert to Thomas; to Phoebe also land east of the Moschussuck River; said home lot at her decease to go to son John; to Phoebe also all household goods, two cows and nine swine at her disposal. To Elizabeth Comstock 30 pounds; to Thomas Arnold a house lot in town, two other lots, a meadow, a tract of 50 acres, and rights of common. To John Arnold 3 lots, an orchard, a piece of land of 17 1/2 acres, share in meadow, etc.; to Eleazer Arnold 50 acres near place called "World's End", a 15 acre lot, 3 shares of meadow, etc.; To John and Eleazer an equal share in certain lands. To Thomas and John equally the tackling and tools of the deceased. To Richard, the eldest son, all the rest of the lands.
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