Joseph ARNOLD

[Arnold.FTW] Joseph married Mercy Stafford; her family was a prominent Rhode Island family which is described in more detail in the Stafford section of this study. In Joseph's will, he left lands to Benjamin and Caleb. He left the homestead farm to sons Joshua, Stukely and Samuel to be theirs when of age. He also mentions Joseph and Amos. Half of the homestead and personal items went to his wife. It is a little disappointing that we were never able to find much historical information about Joseph. He appears to have been a much more devout Quaker than his father and son, Caleb, but there is no hard evidence of this. He didn't have to be as adventuresome as either his father or sons since there seemed to have been enough land left from that amassed by his grandfather, Thomas, to go around to all Thomas' grandchildren. Joseph's house was known as The "Fireplace House" and stood deep in the current Lincoln Woods. It was built in about 1700. It got its current name from the large stone fireplace which stood for many years after the house was destroyed by fire and was used by local people as a picnic and camping area. A part of the foundation and stone steps which lead to the spring area remained in 1987. Photographs of the house before it burned are located in the office of the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities in Boston.

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