Sacramento County
Biographies
JOHN HENRY ARNOLD
JOHN HENRY ARNOLD.--The remarkable development of the automobile industry in Sacramento owes much to the experience, the foresight and the broad-minded enterprise of such optimistic and level-headed leaders as John Henry Arnold, the president of Arnold Bros., the popular dealers in motor cars, with their attractive headquarters at 1300 K Street. He was born at Pittsburgh, Pa., in 1875, and his parents were Thomas and Martha (Wickman) Arnold. They believed in a good training such as the public schools afford, and encouraged the lad to get a broad and practical education.
Coming early to California, with his parents, John Henry Arnold lived for a while in Nevada, where his father operated in the mines; and this may have had something to do with his fortunate choice of the machinists trade, which he mastered, and at which he worked for years, in the service of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Then he embarked in the livery business in Sacramento, and this was a very natural step into the automobile field, with which he identified himself in 1906. He is now in partnership with his two brothers, H. D. and A. G. Arnold, and the latter is foreman in charge of the shop.
Aside from an enviable reputation for expert repair work, Mr. Arnold and his brothers have come to be known widely for their thoroughly dependable method in the sale of cars. They handle the Hudson and the Essex, and have for their territory besides Sacramento County, part of Sutter and Yolo, and all of Placer and Eldorado counties. They employ thirty-five men, and even with this rather large force of expert salesmen and mechanics, they are hardly able to cope with the increasing demands upon them. Arnold Brothers are the oldest dealers in automobiles in Sacramento County; and they belong to the Sacramento Chamber of Commerce and the Exchange Club, in both of these excellent organizations find pleasure in making their influence felt in favor of trade growth and stability.
At Sacramento Mr. Arnold married Miss Bessie Bath, of Sacramento; their union has been blessed with the birth of two children, Raymond and Gladys. Mr. Arnold is a Scottish Rite Mason and also belongs to the Elks. Mrs. Arnold shares with her husband his patriotism and public-spiritedness, and both are often found actively engaged in various movements for uplift and advancement of social conditions.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: Reed, G.
Walter, History of Sacramento County,
California With Biographical Sketches, Page 779. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA.
1923.
© 2007 Jeanne Taylor.