William Arnold (settler) - End of Life

End of Life

In the two decades following Pawtuxet's reunification with Providence, William Arnold continued to reside in Pawtuxet being a party to several land transactions where he deeded away some of his properties. Here he lived in relative peace until July 1675 when King Philip's War erupted into a major confrontation between the natives and the English settlers. Pawtuxet was not a safe place to be, but Arnold refused to go to his son Benedict's house in Newport, nor would he go up to Providence. He was eventually persuaded to go to his son Stephen's garrison house further up the Pawtuxet River. In December 1675 a detachment of Massachusetts troops led by General Josiah Winslow, en route to the "Great Swamp Fight" in Kingston, Rhode Island, stayed at this garrison house and was given provisions.

In January 1676, after the Kingston fight, about 300 Indians attacked Pawtuxet, burning buildings on William Carpenter's land, driving away livestock and killing two members of his family. The attacks continued, and by March the Indians had burned all the houses in Warwick and Pawtuxet, and most of them in Providence, scattering the residents to other localities. William Carpenter and Thomas Hopkins most likely went to Oyster Bay, Long Island where they had family. Where Stephen Arnold went with his family is not known, but William Arnold was probably not with him. He likely died that winter or spring, aged 88, and was buried in a family plot with his wife and grandson William, son of Benedict. Confirmation of his death did not occur until 3 November 1677 when his son Benedict described himself as "eldest son and heir of William Arnold late of Pautuxett in the said Colony deceased."