John Arnold was a body servant to Albert Brown Douglass of Company A, 36th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry. Company A was also known as Mount Zion Guards. Albert was mustered into Confederate service at Meridian, MS, March 07, 1862. They were near Mobile, Alabama, at the close of the war.
John W. Bailey who was a member of the same company and regiment wrote this concerning John: "John Arnold was with us until the surrender. He made A. B. Douglass a good servant and he never did try to leave him."
John Arnold was born in Mississippi, between 1840 and 1844. John’s father was Dave Arnold and his mother is currently unknown. John lived in Copiah County, MS, near Hazlehurst. John may have been a slave of Albert’s parents, Ransom and Anna Smith Douglass. Ransom owned 15 slaves per the 1860 Slave Schedule of Copiah County.
After the War, John was a farmer and laborer. His application for pension was made in Lincoln County, MS. He died March 11, 1914 in Lincoln County.
1880 - MS - Copiah - Beat 3 - Page 169
John Arnold, 30
Lucy, 25
Lethian, 13
Mary Jane, 11
Bettie, 9
John, 7
Carisa, 4
1900 - MS - Copiah - Ferguson Pct. - Page 173
John Arnold, head, May 1844, 56
Lucinda, wife, 1856, 44
Edmund, son, March 1889, 11
Neil, son, 1890, 10
Edna, daughter, March 1889, 11
Willie, son, May 1891, 9
1910 - MS - Copiah - Aisworth Pct., Beat 3 - Page 206
John Arnold, head, 63
Lucinda, wife, 50
Albert Cason, stepchild, 29, wd
Edgar Edwards, grandson, 22
Addie Williams, niece, 20
Willie Williams, niece, 19
Cora L. Cason, granddaughter, 10
Elmo Cason, grandson, 8
George Cason, nephew, 4
Jim Cason, nephew, 14 months