Civil War
The Civil War has often been noted as the War where brother fought brother. While there is no evidence that this happened literally with the sons of Henry Arnot, Jr., clearly there were divided loyalties. The Arnotts who remained in Monroe County primarily were loyal to Virginia and the Confederacy. Zachariah P. Arnot was a commanding officer in the 166th. Regiment of the Virginia Militia formed in August 1861. This regiment was a part of the Virginia 19th. Brigade, under the command of Brig. General Augustus A. Chapman. In addition to Zachariah other Monroe County Arnotts were members of this Regiment. Company E was commanded by Capt. Addison W. Arnot and relatives William H. (Sgt.), John W. (Sgt.) and Elisha T. (Cpl.) were known member of this unit. This unit served until October 10, 1861 when its 90 days were completed. Some Arnott members of this unit went on to serve in other Virginia Confederate units. On the Company Muster Roll for Co. E of the 166 Militia it is noted that Addition died on December 22, 1861. The circumstances of his death are not known to this site. Henry W. Arnot further served in Co. C, 60th. Virginia Infantry which was a part of 3rd. Regiment of Infantry, known as the Wise Legion. Mary Jane Arnott married Ralph Smith and Smith was killed in the Battle of New Market, Va. At the time of his death he was a Corporal in Company D, 30th. Virginia Battalion (Sharpshooters). After having his right leg amputated he died in the hospital in Harrisonburg, VA. His death and Mary Jane’s travails as she traveled from Monroe County with a trusted servant to return Smith’s body from the battlefield morgue in Lexington, Va. are chronicled in a factually based fiction entitled Mary Jane’s War by Joe B. Roles ( a descendant of Henry Arnot). Smith was buried in the Arnott Cemetery (now Mt. Hedding) in Monroe County.
Unlike the Monroe County Arnotts, Henry Arnot, Jr.’s descendents and relatives who relocated to Roane County served in the Union Army. Significant detail is known about the service of William Thomas and Henry Matthew Arnott during the Civil War from the National Archives files. Both served with the 9th West Virginia Infantry and later in the newly formed 1st Veteran West Virginia Infantry. Henry Matthew was captured at the Battle of Cloyd’s Mountain and became a prisoner at Andersonville. He was subsequently released and traveled to Camp Parole in Maryland. Following a furlough for illness and confusion as to his identity his family worked until 1916 to clear the record on his service. He was the builder of the home in Spencer, West Virginia that is now the Arnott House B&B in Spencer, West Virginia.
Henry Arnott Gravestone Spencer Memorial Cemetery Spencer, W. Va.
Col. Z. P. Arnot, Gravestone at Mt. Hedding Cemetery,
Monroe County, West Virginia
This page is a listing of the officers and men of Company E of the 166th. Virginia Militia. Additional pages list all of the men in alphabetical order. This unit was formed in August 1861 in Monroe County, Virginia and served until mid-November 1861. Lt. Col. Z. P. Arnot was the line officer commanding in the field for the Regiment and several members of the Henry Arnot family can be found as officers and enlisted men in Company E above. After this unit was disband several members of the family served in other units during the majority of the War. Source: State of Virginia court records containing an inventory of all Confederate units during the Civil War. These records were microfilmed from records in the National Archives and were copied by Bob Arnott at the WVU Regional and History in October 2016.
Jesse Arnot was the man who transported Abraham Lincoln's body to his final resting place in Oak Grove Cemetery, Springfield, IL. Below are items related to this event.
An attempt will be made to obtain a better copy of this article from The Watchman newspaper, Union, WV
THE MAN WHO BURIED ABRAHAM LINCOLN WAS A MONROE COUNTIAN
Jesse Arnott was born in Monroe County, November 15, 1812, the son of William Truesdale and Mary (Garten) Arnott. He married Mary Elizabeth Handley, a sister of his step-mother who was Lucinda Handley.
Mr. Arnott was a deeply religious man as an article written for The Monroe County Watchman at the time of his death will attest. Mr. Asbury C. McNeer was a friend of Mr. Arnott and had seen him shortly before his death; we believe his statements are correct. Quote: "He was converted, to use his own words 'from the crown of his head to the sales of his feet', when about 16 years of age, at a Camp Meeting held on the Centerville (now Greenville) Methodist church lot. His whole life was in exact harmony with his professed conversion. He said to the writer last New Year's morning that family devotions had never been neglected in his house during all the long years of his married life. As a hearer of the preaching of the Word of God he seemed to drink it in as a most refreshing draught from the pure living fountain. His conversions were of the most entertaining character and on religions topics were simply soul-thrilling. His--love-feast talks were a spiritual benediction to all who heard them. He prayed as one walking and talking with his nearest and most confidential friend. Praying in the public congregation, he led the worshippers right up to the throne of grace. "He removed from the place of his nativity to Missouri in 1837. For many years he was a citizen of St. Louis, Missouri, where he did a large successful livery and undertaker's business (associated with Mr. Lynch, also from Monroe County). Upon him was conferred the honor of burying President Abraham Lincoln.
"He died May 11, 1896 at his sister Martha's (Mrs. Jesse Jones) horne on Wolf Creek, Monroe County, being far advanced in his eighty-fourth year, and was taken by his daughter, Mrs. Hendel, to St. Louis and now lies with friends and relatives in Bellefontaine Cemetery to await the resurrection of the j llst. "
Mr. Arnott was a staunch Democrat and when first approached about the burial of President Lincoln refused. However, he reconsidered and accepted the honor as a true gentleman.
In a small volume entitled "ABRAHAM LINCOLN, His Life, Public Services, Death and Great Funeral Cortege, with a History and Description of t.he NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT", by John Carroll Power, Springfield, Illinois, 1875, we read of the final stage of the Funeral Cortege; "As soon as the funeral car carne along side of the depot (this was in Springfield, Illinois) the coffin was transferred to the beautiful hearse which had been tendered for the occasion by Messrs. Lynch & Arnott, of St. Louis, through Mayor Thomas of that city, and accepted by Mayor Dennis of Springfield. The hearse was built in Philadelphia, at cost of about six thousand dollars, and was larger than the ordinary size. It had been used at the funeral of the Hon. Thomas H. Benton. After the offer was accepted, the proprietors had it additionally ornamented with as silver plate engraving of the initials 'A. L. 'around which was a silver wreath, with two inverted torches and thirty-six silver stars, representing the States of the Union. It was drawn by six superb black horses, draped in mourning, and wearing plumes and crests.
The horses belonged to Messrs. Lynch & Arnot also, and were driven on this occasion by Mr. A. Arnot, without the aid of grooms. The procession moved in the following order: __"
Mr. Jesse Arnot drove the horses and not Mr. A. (Anderson) Arnot as the statement above says. The confusion is understandable as Mr. Anderson Arnot, a brother of Jesse Arnot, had his own livery business in the same area. He was the first person to carry the mail from the Atlantic to the Pacific, finally selling out to the Pony Express.
We are indebted to Ruby Arnott Beard (Mrs. Mitchell Beard) of Silver Spring, Maryland for verifying this record and for supplying the photograph of Jesse Arnott. Mrs. Beard is near the 100 mark in years and remembers her Uncle Jesse well.
BELOW ARE IMAGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE BURIAL OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN BY JESSE ARNOT
Courtesy of the Sangaman County Illinois Historical Society
Lynch and Arnot Hearse courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division (LC-USZC4-1834)
Mr. Arnot's Hearse was tragically destroyed in a fire on February 9, 1887 at his St. Louis livery along with 200 horses and 3 individuals.. The Staab Family and the Staab Funeral Home have completed a historical restoration of the Hearse and a document detailing this history and their reconstruction may be found at the following link:
http://www.abrahamlincolnhearse.com/AbrahamLincolnHearse/index.html