Author Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1853 edition. Excerpt: ...companion. As a merchant, Mr. Arnold held a place prominent and honorable. He was among the last of that successful and high-minded race of men, who, in the first quarter of the present century, were the merchant-princes of New Bedford. He took his place while yet a young man, as the son-in-law of William Rotch, Jr., and as his mercantile partner, among those who were known throughout the commercial world as enlightened and successful men of business; and while the success of his devotion, skill, and enterprise, demonstrated his right to share with them their elevated position, no act of his ever sullied the purity of the reputation they had won. An incident, of no great importance in itself, that occurred when he was in the prime of life and largely engaged in mercantile pursuits, will illustrate the character of his mind, and the views which he held and so strikingly exemplified in his business career. President Wayland was in New Bedford for the purpose of soliciting aid for tho increase of the library of Brown University. A meeting of our merchants and monied men was held, and the President, in a short address, endeavored to show how it was that liberality towards our institutions of learning was fruitful of benefits to all classes and conditions of men. Some word which he or some other gentleman had dropped, which indicated that the merchants were too much absorbed in money-making, called up Mr. Arnold, who, in a few brief and eloquent sentences, vindicated the character At the opening of the month of December, 1867, there were five members of the " Old Dialectic" living: John Mason Williams, James Arnold, Thomas A. Greene, William C. Taber and James B. Cougdon. Since that time the three flret have died, the first since this notice was...