William Arnold (settler) - Early Life

Early Life

Born in Ilchester, Somerset, England on 24 June 1587, William Arnold was the son of Nicholas Arnold (c. 1550–1623) by his first wife Alice Gully (1553–1596). In about 1610 he married Christian Peak who was baptized 15 February 1584, the daughter of Thomas Peak of Muchelney, Somerset, a village about six miles (10 km) west of Ilchester.

Arnold's parents lived in the small village of Northover, located across the River Yeo (also known as the River Ivel) from the town of Ilchester. Nicholas was a tailor, and the mention of his occupation in his will and the vital records of some of his family members suggests that he was prominent in his work, and likely a member of the Tailor's Guild, which carried professional and political clout in its day. As he advanced in his profession, and after the baptism of his oldest daughter Thomasine in 1572, Nicholas moved with his small family from Northover across the river to the much larger town of Ilchester where he became well established in his trade, and where the remainder of his children were born.

Arnold's mother, Alice Gully, was the daughter of John Gully (c. 1508–1559) and his wife Alice (c. 1510–1583) of Northover. His mother died in 1596 shortly after child birth, when Arnold was eight years old, and he was thereafter largely raised and influenced by his sister Joanne who was ten years older than he. Though Joanne eventually married William Hopkins of Yeovilton and died at an early age in England, two of her children, Frances (Hopkins) Man and Thomas Hopkins, immigrated to New England with their Uncle William Arnold.

Arnold and his siblings were likely educated at the Free Grammar School associated with the parish church in Limington, slightly more than a mile to the east of Ilchester. This ancient school is where Thomas Wolsey was the curate and schoolmaster from 1500 to 1509. Wolsey later became the Lord Cardinal and Primate of England.

Only two records for Arnold are known to exist while he still lived in England. The first of these was a transcript of baptisms, marriages and burials that he signed in 1622 as the warden of St. Mary's, the parish church of Ilchester. These bishop's transcripts, as they were called, were sent to the City of Wells, Somerset, a central repository for such records. The other record mentioning his name was the will of his father, Nicholas Arnold, dated 18 January 1623. William Arnold was appointed by the will as overseer along with Ambrose Chappell, a friend of Nicholas.

There is no record of Arnold between 1623 and his sailing to New England in 1635. He was an educated man, since he had to be able to read and write as the warden of his parish church, and appeared to have a secure relationship with his church and community. Unknown are his motives for emigrating from England and when he began planning to do so. For whatever reasons, his plan to leave England with his family and associates materialized in 1635.