Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 1).djvu/115

Rh tain, afterward became major, and at all times showed the greatest efficiency as a partisan officer on the royalist side during the war of the revolution. In 1783 he was appointed with Capt. Saunders to prepare a parting address for Col. John G. Simcoe, the intrepid leader of the rangers. He was advanced, 26 Jan., 1797, to a colonelcy; 25 Sept., 1803, to a major-generalship; and 25 Oct., 1809, to a lieutenant-generalship.

ARMSTRONG, Richard, missionary, b. in Northumberland co.. Pa., 19 Sept., 1805; d. in Honolulu. Sandwich islands, 23 Sept., 1860. He was graduated at Dickinson college, Pa., and, after a course of theology in Princeton seminary, went in 1832 to the Sandwich islands. For eight months he was in charge of the mission at Nukahiva, in the Marquesas group; then went to Walluka, whence after five years he returned to Honolulu to take the station made vacant by the return of Mr. Bingham to the United States. In December, 1847, the king made him minister of instruction and president of the board of education, and he was also appointed to a seat in the house of nobles, and to a membership in the privy council. His death was caused bv the kick of a vicious horse.

ARMSTRONG, Robert, soldier, b. in east Tennessee in 1790 ; d. in Washington, D. C, 23 Feb., 1854. He commanded a company of Tennessee artillery under Jackson in the Creek war of 1813-'14 with distinguished bravery. At the battle of Talladega, Ala., 24 Jan., 1814, he was dangerously wounded, but recovered, and again distinguished himself at the battle of New Orleans, and in 1836, as brigadier-general, commanded the Tennessee mounted volunteers at the battle of Wahoo swamp. He was postmaster at Nashville from 1829 to 1845, when he was sent as consul to Liverpool, remaining until 1852. He subsequently became the proprietor and editor of the " Washington Union," and was the confidential adviser of Mr. Polk during his presidency. Gen. Jackson bequeathed to him his sword.

ARMSTRONG, Samuel Turell, governor of Massachusetts, b. in Dorchester, Mass., 29 April, 1784; d. in Boston, 26 March, 1850. He was a bookseller in Boston, and among other works published a stereotype edition of Scott's family Bible, which was widely circulated. He became mayor of Boston and lieutenant-governor of Massachusetts, and in 1835 the election of Gov. Davis to the U. S. senate made him acting governor for the remainder of the term. He made a fortune in his business, and, as he had no children, it was reported that he intended to leave large amounts to charitable institutions ; but if so, his designs were frustrated by his sudden death. Gov. Armstrong served in the state house of representatives, and in the senate in 1839.

ARMSTRONG, William Jessup, clergyman, b. in Mendliam, N. J., 29 Oct., 1796; lost at sea, 27 Nov., 1846. He was graduated at Princeton in 1816, and studied in the theological school (Presbyterian) of that college. He was licensed to preach in 1818, and went to Albemarle co., Va., as a missionary, but returned to Trenton to take charge of a congregation. Here he remained three years, and then accepted an invitation from the first Presbyterian church in Richmond, Va., where he remained until 1834. He then became secretary of the Presbyterian board of foreign missions for Virginia and North Carolina, and at the same time agent for the American board of commissioners for foreign missions for the same district. In September of the same year he became secretary to the last-named society. After a residence of two years and a half in Boston, he removed to New York. In 1840 he received the degree of S. T. D. from Princeton. He was lost in the wreck of the steamer "Atlantic." A memoir by Henry Read, with a selection of Dr. Armstrong's sermons, was published in 1853.

ARNOLD, Aaron, merchant, b. in the Isle of Wight in 1794; d. in New York city, 18 March, 1876. He was the son of a farmer, but early showed a fondness for mercantile pursuits, and in 1823 emigrated to Philadelphia, where he lived for three years, studying carefully the comparative business advantages of the different cities of the country. He finally selected New York as the most desirable place, and with his nephew, George A. Hearn, established there, in 1827, a wholesale and retail dry-goods store, under the firm name of Arnold & Hearn. In 1842 Mr. Hearn was succeeded by Mr. Arnold's son-in-law, James M. Constable, and the name of the firm was changed to Aaron Arnold & Co. In 1853 Mr. Arnold's son Richard and J. P. Baker were admitted to the firm, which then became known by its present title, Arnold, Constable & Co. In 1869 Mr. Arnold left the active management of the business, and for some time before his death was confined to his house. His success is ascribed, by those who knew him well, to his sterling honesty, his sagacity, and his steadfast adherence to his friends.

ARNOLD, Albert Nicholas, clergyman, b. in Cranston, R I., 12 Feb., 1814; d. in Cranston, R. I., 11 Oct., 1883. He was graduated at Brown in 1838, studied at Newton theological seminary, and on 14 Sept., 1841, was ordained pastor of the Baptist church at Newburyport, Mass. From 1844 to 1854 he was a missionary to Greece, from 1855 to 1857 he was professor of church history at Newton seminary, and in 1858 he became pastor at Westborough, Mass., where he remained until 1864. He was then chosen professor of biblical interpretation and pastoral theology in the Baptist seminary at Hamilton, N. Y., and from 1869 to 1873 held the professorship of New Testament Greek in Baptist theological seminary at Chicago. Dr. Arnold published, in 1860, "Prerequisites to Communion," and in 1871 "One Woman's Mission."

ARNOLD, Benedict, governor of Rhode Island, b. in England, 21 Dec., 1615; d. 20 June, 1678. He lived for some time in Providence, and in 1637 was one of thirteen who signed a compact agreeing to subject themselves to any agreements made by a majority of the masters of families. In 1645 his knowledge of the native tongues gained him the office of messenger to negotiate with the Indians, and on one occasion they accused him of misrepresentation. In 1653 he moved to Newport, and in 1654 was elected assistant for that town. In 1657 he was one of the purchasers of the island of Conanicut. On 19 May, 1657, Roger Williams having retired from the presidency of the colony, Arnold was elected to the office, and he was again assistant in 1660. On 22 May, 1662, he was again elected president, and under the royal charter given in 1663 he was the first governor of the colony. To this office he was reëlected in May, 1664, and in 1669, 1677, and 1678. Gov. Arnold was instrumental in bringing about the reconciliation and union of the two colonies of Rhode Island and Providence plantations.

ARNOLD, Benedict, soldier, b. in Norwich, Conn., 14 Jan., 1741; d. in London, England, 14 June, 1801. His ancestor, William Arnold (b. in Leamington, Warwickshire, in 1587), came to Providence in 1636, and was associated with Roger Williams as one of the fifty-four proprietors in the first settlement of Rhode island. His son Benedict moved to Newport, and was governor of the