James N. Arnold collection

Collection

Identifier: 029-02

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of material compiled and written by James N. Arnold, between 1860-1927 and of typescripts by volunteers continuing his work until 1935. This collection contains numerous research topics and writings related to the history of Rhode Island.

It includes personal records of James N. Arnold such as Arnold family genealogy records and correspondence, James Arnold’s personal writings, weather journals and photographs. Business records include material related to printing and sales of his publications. Research materials include transcriptions of cemetery records, vital records, and probates from Rhode Island towns and cities, topics related to the history of Rhode Island during the colonial period, Revolutionary War, and Civil War. Specific topics include the Narragansett Indians, numerous family genealogies and histories, town histories, deeds and probate records, military records, numerous essays on various subjects. The collection also includes cemetery and vital records from parts of Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York. There are also two card indexes that relate to numerous material throughout Arnold’s collection.

Upon his death in 1927, Arnold bequeathed his library and research materials to the Elmwood Public Library in Providence, Rhode Island (now the Knight Memorial Library). The original bequest included 1500 genealogical works, 2500 bound volumes and over 10,000 pamphlets in addition to his research and manuscript materials and glass plate negatives. The library of published items (genealogical works, bound volumes and pamphlets) was not maintained as a discrete collection. The glass plate negatives were transferred to the Providence Public Library sometime in the 2000s and are organized into 029-03, James N. Arnold Glass Plate photograph collection.

During processing of this collection, a handwritten transcript copy of “Land Evidence Book, 1648-1696” was discarded due to poor condition since the original work is available in many published copies.

Dates

1860 - 1935

Creator

Arnold , James N. (James Newell), , 1844-1927 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Materials are open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

PPL does not claim copyright to this collection. Users of this item are responsible for determining copyright restrictions.

Biographical / Historical

James Newell Arnold (1844-1927) was a writer, editor, historian and genealogist specializing in Rhode Island history. Arnold was born on August 3, 1844 near the village of Knightsville in Cranston, Rhode Island to Captain James Lincoln Arnold, a farmer, and Amey Underwood. Arnold was a descendent of Thomas Arnold who joined Roger Williams in Providence in 1636, and of Benedict Arnold, Rhode Island colony’s first governor. Sometime in his childhood, Arnold contracted an ailment that led him to the use of crutches for mobility throughout his life. In 1868, James Arnold moved the family to a farm in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Following this move, Arnold began his project to inventory historic burial grounds and to document the history of old Narragansett families.

Arnold’s professional work as a historian and writer began in earnest in the 1880s. Arnold traveled throughout Rhode Island collecting and transcribing local church records, pension rolls, burial records and town papers. He edited and published The Narragansett Historical Register, an 8 volume set on the history of southern Rhode Island, from 1882-1891. During that time, he moved to Providence in 1884 and worked as the assistant to historian Edward B. Hitchcock. From 1891-1912, he compiled and published his seminal work, Vital Records of Rhode Island, the first comprehensive set of vital records for the state covering 1636-1850 in 21 volumes.

In addition to his work on Rhode Island history, Arnold researched his Arnold family genealogy extensively, located and transcribed Revolutionary War newspapers, researched the Narragansett Indian tribe, and wrote numerous newspaper articles.. Arnold died at Dexter Asylum on September 27, 1927 and was buried in a family plot in South Kingstown. After his death in 1927, a group of volunteers continued transcribing his records and continuing his cemetery inventory project until 1935.

Extent

24.8 Linear Feet (29 boxe, 1 oversized folder and 2 card catalogs)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into the following series:

Series 1: Personal Records and Research 1.1: Arnold family genealogy 1.2: Personal papers Series 2: Business Records Series 3: Tombstone records Series 4: Genealogical research 4.1 Binders 4.2 Notebooks 4.3 Compiled materials and charts 4.4 Vital records Series 5: Research materials Series 6: Compositions 6.1 Fiction 6.2 Poetry 6.3 Monographs 6.4 Essays 6.5 Articles 6.6 Indexes Series 7: Card catalog indexes

Custodial History

James N. Arnold bequeathed his library and archival collection to the Elmwood Public Library Association, later named Knight Memorial Library, upon his death in 1927. During the years when Knight Memorial Library was a branch library of the Providence Public Library, the Arnold library of published materials was broken up and distributed amongst the library system. In 2015, the Knight Memorial Library gifted his archival materials to the Providence Public Library.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The Arnold collection was transferred from Knight Memorial Library in 2015 and in 2017.

Accruals

The Arnold collection was transferred from Knight Memorial Library in 2015 and 2017. No additional accruals are expected.

Related Materials

029-03, James N. Arnold photograph collection, Providence Public Library

Bibliography

Compiled vital statistics were published by Arnold in the "Vital Records of Rhode Island: 1636-1850" published by the RI General Assembly in 1912-. Variety of essays and articles in the collection were published in "The Narragansett Historical Register" (vols. 1-9), edited and published by Arnold starting in 1882. Additional essays were published as individual pamphlets. The Arnold inventory of burial grounds and tombstones has been incorporated into the Rhode Island Historical Cemetery Commission database.

Processing Information

The collection was processed in 2016 by Britni C. Gorman and Kate Wells. Materials from second accretion have not yet been processed into the collection.