So what’s in a name?

September 18, 2008 by · 2 Comments 

In reading a report from a 1783 Connecticut newspaper this evening I found it interesting to what degree the last name “Arnold” was considered a disgrace. Note this report:

“Upon the memorial of Jonathan Arnold, of Hartford…a Sergeant in the Continental army & unfortunately bears the sirname of the infamous Benedict Arnold, once a Major General in the army of the United States, now a traitor and deserter…some time after the desertion of the said Benedict, the Hon. Major General Baron Stuben, pitying the misfortune of any person friendly to the American cause doomed to bear the same name with a notorious traitor. offered…liberty to assume the name of Stuben, & by that name to be known and called…on his taking & assuming the said name of Stuben, to pay to him the sum of Two Dollars per month during the present war…”.

I wonder how many more Arnold families there could have been in this country today?