LINKS

The oldest known member of this Arthur family is Samuel Arthur (1831-1898). According to census records and his obituary, he was born in Indiana. His father was born in England, his mother in New York. Ralph Arthur, his grandson, told me in 1978 that "Samuel Arthur came to this country and sailed down the Ohio River to Indiana to seek his fortune. He married a lady from New York, but the family forgot her name." The only Samuel Arthur I have found in Indiana who came from England lived in Posey County at New Harmony; he was a merchant from Cornwall, and his wife was from there as well. After the death of his wife, he returned to England where he died. No link between this Samuel and our Samuel has yet been found.

Census records indicate that Samuel Arthur was living in Illinois by 1850, where he is living in Morgan County working as a wagon maker. He later moved to DeWitt County, where he was a blacksmith. Family lore has it he was an inventor of a special wagon, but could not get backing to go into production. His son, John E. Arthur, patented several inventions and had a manufacturing plant in Lane Illinois to produce them. Copies of the patent papers can be viewed at the links at the left.

Additional information on the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren will be added as they are found. For more information on these generations, please go to Arthur Ancestors at WorldConnect.