San Diego County Biographies
 
THOMAS JACKSON ARNOLD

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 
Collector of the port of San Diego, was born in Beverly, West Virginia. He was 
the son of Jonathan Arnold, one of the most successful and prominent 
stock-grazers in his section of the State; and his mother, Laura (Jackson) 
Arnold, was the only sister of " Stonewall " Jackson. Thomas was educated at 
Parkersburg and Lexington, Virginia, at the latter place under his uncle's care 
and supervision. In 1867 he graduated in law at the Washington and Lee 
University and returned to his native town to practice his profession. At the 
age of twenty-two he was elected Prosecuting Attorney for his county, and was 
re-elected the second and third terms. In 1876 he was married to Miss Eugenia 
Hill, a daughter of General D. H. Hill. Owing to his wife's failing health they 
removed to San Diego in the fall of 1880, where Mr. Arnold practiced his 
profession until July,1886, when he was appointed by President Cleveland 
Collector of the port of San Diego. We append below the opinions of the press 
from both a Democratic and Republican point of view on his appointment and 
retirement from office:
        The Daily San Diegan of July 29, 1886, says: " It always affords the San 
Diegan much pleasure to record the appointment of a good Democrat to an office 
that has been held by a Republican long after the Democratic latch strings have 
been hung on the public door. The appointment of Thomas J. Arnold, Esq., a 
well-known attorney of the bar in this city, as Collector of this district, is a 
source of gratification to his many friends and the Democratic party, with which 
he has been identified ever since his majority. Mr. Arnold has received warm and 
hearty congratulations from his party friends over the honor conferred on him, 
while his fitness for the position is unquestioned. * * * The San Diegan, wishes 
him a successful official career."
        The San Diego Union of March 20, 1890, says: " Mr. T. J. Arnold 
yesterday surrendered the office of Collector of the port of San Diego to his 
successor. Mr. Arnold has held the office for nearly a full term, and has 
administered it with his characteristic integrity and fidelity. His rulings on 
close questions, upon which there were no decisions, have been sustained by the 
department with much uniformity and he has had the pleasure of seeing several of 
his suggestions adopted as department rules of administration. The business of 
the office has increased largely during his term of office and he turns it over 
to his successor in good condition. In turning the office over to his successor 
Mr. Arnold has placed him under obligation for many courtesies."
 
SOURCE:  An Illustrated History of Southern California:  Embracing the Counties 
of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the Peninsula of Lower 
California� Chicago:  The Lewis Publishing Company, 1890.  p.-  381