Jump to content

Charles C. P. Arndt: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit Advanced mobile edit
 
(7 intermediate revisions by 7 users not shown)
Line 4: Line 4:
|image = Charles C. P. Arndt.jpg
|image = Charles C. P. Arndt.jpg
|caption = Portrait by Thomas D. Bowring, DePere, Wisconsin
|caption = Portrait by Thomas D. Bowring, DePere, Wisconsin
|office = Member of the Council of the [[Wisconsin Territory]] for [[Brown County, Wisconsin|Brown]], {{nobreak|[[Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin|Fond du Lac]]}}, [[Manitowoc County, Wisconsin|Manitowoc]], [[Portage County, Wisconsin|Portage]], & [[Sheboygan County, Wisconsin|Sheboygan]] counties
|office = Member of the Council of the [[Wisconsin Territory]] for [[Brown County, Wisconsin|Brown]], {{nowrap|[[Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin|Fond du Lac]]}}, [[Manitowoc County, Wisconsin|Manitowoc]], [[Portage County, Wisconsin|Portage]], & [[Sheboygan County, Wisconsin|Sheboygan]] counties
| term_start = December 2, 1839
| term_start = December 2, 1839
| term_end = February 11, 1842
| term_end = February 11, 1842
Line 11: Line 11:
| successor = Morgan Lewis Martin
| successor = Morgan Lewis Martin
|party = [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]]<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84600486/whig-convention-brown-co/ |title= The Voice of Brown County |newspaper= [[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|Milwaukee Sentinel]] |date= June 29, 1841 |page= 2 |accessdate= September 2, 2021 |via= [[Newspapers.com]] }}</ref>
|party = [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]]<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84600486/whig-convention-brown-co/ |title= The Voice of Brown County |newspaper= [[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|Milwaukee Sentinel]] |date= June 29, 1841 |page= 2 |accessdate= September 2, 2021 |via= [[Newspapers.com]] }}</ref>
|birth_name = Charles Cotesworth Pinckney Arndt
|birth_date = October 31, 1811
|birth_date = October 31, 1811
|birth_place = [[Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
|birth_place = [[Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
|death_date = {{Death date and age|1842|02|11|1811|10|31}}
|death_date = {{Death date and age|1842|02|11|1811|10|31}}
|death_place = [[Madison, Wisconsin|Madison]], [[Wisconsin Territory]], U.S.
|death_place = [[Madison, Wisconsin|Madison]], [[Wisconsin Territory]], U.S.
|death_cause = [[Homicide]], by {{nobreak|[[James Russell Vineyard|James R. Vineyard]]}}
|death_cause = [[Homicide]], by {{nowrap|[[James Russell Vineyard|James R. Vineyard]]}}
|restingplace = [[Woodlawn Cemetery (Green Bay, Wisconsin)|Woodlawn Cemetery]], {{nobreak|[[Green Bay, Wisconsin]]}}
|restingplace = [[Woodlawn Cemetery (Green Bay, Wisconsin)|Woodlawn Cemetery]], {{nowrap|[[Green Bay, Wisconsin]]}}
|spouse = {{marriage|Catharine Ann Marsh|1835|1842}}
|spouse = {{marriage|Catharine Ann Marsh|1835|1842}}
|children = {{unbulleted list
|children = {{unbulleted list
Line 44: Line 45:
During the debate, Arndt produced a number of testimonials from Grant County voters attesting to the quality of Baker's character, which Vineyard declared to be false.<ref name="tragedy">{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/1936922/charles-c-p-arndt-1811-1842/ |title= A Wisconsin Tragedy |newspaper= The Weekly Wisconsin |date= February 13, 1886 |page= 8 |accessdate= September 2, 2021 |via= [[Newspapers.com]] }}</ref> Arndt and Vineyard exchanged heated words. A few minutes later, the session was adjourned. Arndt approached Vineyard and asked him directly if he had imputed that his remarks had been false. Vineyard confirmed, and Arndt struck him in the head. Vineyard pulled out a revolver and fired one shot into Arndt's chest. He died in less than five minutes.<ref name="tragedy"/>
During the debate, Arndt produced a number of testimonials from Grant County voters attesting to the quality of Baker's character, which Vineyard declared to be false.<ref name="tragedy">{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/1936922/charles-c-p-arndt-1811-1842/ |title= A Wisconsin Tragedy |newspaper= The Weekly Wisconsin |date= February 13, 1886 |page= 8 |accessdate= September 2, 2021 |via= [[Newspapers.com]] }}</ref> Arndt and Vineyard exchanged heated words. A few minutes later, the session was adjourned. Arndt approached Vineyard and asked him directly if he had imputed that his remarks had been false. Vineyard confirmed, and Arndt struck him in the head. Vineyard pulled out a revolver and fired one shot into Arndt's chest. He died in less than five minutes.<ref name="tragedy"/>


Vineyard was almost immediately indicted, but was acquitted on grounds of [[Right of self-defense|self-defense]] at his trial in October 1843.<ref name="tragedy"/><ref>'Wisconsin's Saddest Tragedy,' M.M. Qualife, Wisconsin Historical Society: 1922, vol 15, no. 5, pp. 264–283</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS4961 |title= Arndt, Charles C. P. , died 1842 |website= [[Wisconsin Historical Society]] |date= 8 August 2017 |accessdate= September 2, 2021 }}</ref> Vineyard attempted to submit his resignation to the Council on February 14, 1842, but his resignation was rejected, and the Council instead voted 10&ndash;1 in favor of expelling him.<ref name="tragedy"/>
Vineyard was almost immediately indicted, but was acquitted on grounds of [[Right of self-defense|self-defense]] at his trial in October 1843.<ref name="tragedy"/><ref>'Wisconsin's Saddest Tragedy,' M.M. Qualife, Wisconsin Historical Society: 1922, vol 15, no. 5, pp. 264–283</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS4961 |title= Arndt, Charles C. P., died 1842 |website= [[Wisconsin Historical Society]] |date= 8 August 2017 |accessdate= September 2, 2021 }}</ref> Vineyard attempted to submit his resignation to the Council on February 14, 1842, but his resignation was rejected, and the Council instead voted 10&ndash;1 in favor of expelling him.<ref name="tragedy"/>


[[Charles Dickens]] (who had been doing a [[lecture tour]] of the United States at the time of the incident) described the attack as an example of the violent depravity of American culture in his ''[[American Notes for General Circulation]]''.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Dickens |first1=Charles |title=American Notes for General Circulation |year=1842 |volume=2 |publisher=Chapman and Hall |location=London |pages=268–270 |edition=3rd}}</ref>
[[Charles Dickens]] (who had been doing a [[lecture tour]] of the United States at the time of the incident) described the attack as an example of the violent depravity of American culture in his ''[[American Notes for General Circulation]]''.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Dickens |first1=Charles |title=American Notes for General Circulation |year=1842 |volume=2 |publisher=Chapman and Hall |location=London |pages=268–270 |edition=3rd}}</ref>
Line 58: Line 59:
==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Find a Grave|70867882|Charles C. P. Arndt}}


{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}
Line 73: Line 71:
[[Category:Wisconsin Whigs]]
[[Category:Wisconsin Whigs]]
[[Category:Members of the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature]]
[[Category:Members of the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature]]
[[Category:19th-century American legislators]]
[[Category:1811 births]]
[[Category:1811 births]]
[[Category:1842 deaths]]
[[Category:1842 deaths]]
Line 79: Line 76:
[[Category:Deaths by firearm in Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Deaths by firearm in Wisconsin]]
[[Category:19th-century American lawyers]]
[[Category:19th-century American lawyers]]
[[Category:1840s assassinated politicians]]
[[Category:Politicians assassinated in the 1840s]]
[[Category:Burials at Woodlawn Cemetery (Green Bay, Wisconsin)]]

Latest revision as of 08:30, 25 November 2024

Charles C. P. Arndt
Portrait by Thomas D. Bowring, DePere, Wisconsin
Member of the Council of the Wisconsin Territory for Brown, Fond du Lac, Manitowoc, Portage, & Sheboygan counties
In office
December 2, 1839 – February 11, 1842
Serving with Morgan Lewis Martin
Preceded byAlexander J. Irwin
Succeeded byMorgan Lewis Martin
Personal details
Born
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney Arndt

October 31, 1811
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedFebruary 11, 1842(1842-02-11) (aged 30)
Madison, Wisconsin Territory, U.S.
Cause of deathHomicide, by James R. Vineyard
Resting placeWoodlawn Cemetery, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Political partyWhig[1]
Spouse
Catharine Ann Marsh
​
​
(m. 1835⁠–⁠1842)​
Children
  • Margaret Elizabeth (Field)
  • (b. 1836)
  • Joseph Manning Marsh Arndt
  • (b. 1838; died 1904)
  • Imogene Cotton Arndt
  • (b. 1840)
Parent
Alma materRutgers College
Professionlawyer, legislator

Charles Cotesworth Pinckney Arndt (October 31, 1811 – February 11, 1842) was an American lawyer, Whig politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. While serving as a member of the Council of the Wisconsin Territory, he was shot and killed by fellow councillor, James Russell Vineyard.

Early life and education

[edit]

Charles Arndt was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, the fifth child of John Penn Arndt and his wife Elizabeth (née Carpenter). Charles moved with his parents to the Michigan Territory in 1822, first settling at Mackinac Island, and then continuing west in 1824 to Green Bay, in the territory that would later become Wisconsin.[2] He graduated from Rutgers College in 1832, and went on to study law under Joel Jones at Easton, Pennsylvania, for the next three years.[2] He was admitted to the bar in 1835, and the following year moved back to Green Bay, where he was admitted to practice law in the Michigan Territory.[2]

In the legislature

[edit]

Arndt was a close friend of Wisconsin Territory Governor James Duane Doty.[2] He became affiliated with the Whig Party and was elected to the Council (upper legislative house) of the Wisconsin Territory in the Fall 1839 election, representing the vast northeastern district. He served in the 2nd and 3rd legislative assemblies. His father had previously served on the Council during the 1st Legislative Assembly.

Death

[edit]

On February 11, 1842, Arndt was involved in a heated debate on the floor of the Council chamber with James Russell Vineyard, of Grant County.[2] Arndt was giving passionate support to Enos S. Baker, Governor Doty's nominee to serve as sheriff of Grant County. Vineyard, who was also considered a candidate for the sheriff's office, was staunchly opposed to the confirmation of Baker.[3]

During the debate, Arndt produced a number of testimonials from Grant County voters attesting to the quality of Baker's character, which Vineyard declared to be false.[4] Arndt and Vineyard exchanged heated words. A few minutes later, the session was adjourned. Arndt approached Vineyard and asked him directly if he had imputed that his remarks had been false. Vineyard confirmed, and Arndt struck him in the head. Vineyard pulled out a revolver and fired one shot into Arndt's chest. He died in less than five minutes.[4]

Vineyard was almost immediately indicted, but was acquitted on grounds of self-defense at his trial in October 1843.[4][5][6] Vineyard attempted to submit his resignation to the Council on February 14, 1842, but his resignation was rejected, and the Council instead voted 10–1 in favor of expelling him.[4]

Charles Dickens (who had been doing a lecture tour of the United States at the time of the incident) described the attack as an example of the violent depravity of American culture in his American Notes for General Circulation.[7]

Personal life and family

[edit]

Arndt was a descendant of Bernhard Arndt, an early settler of the Province of Pennsylvania.[2]

He married Catharine Ann Marsh on May 5, 1835. They had one son and two daughters.[2]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "The Voice of Brown County". Milwaukee Sentinel. June 29, 1841. p. 2. Retrieved September 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Arndt, John Stover (1922). The Story of the Arndts; the Life, Antecedents and Descendants of Bernhard Arndt who emigrated to Pennsylvania in the Year 1731. Philadelphia: Christopher Sower Company. pp. 235–240. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  3. ^ "Legislature of Wisconsin". Wisconsin Express. February 12, 1842. p. 1. Retrieved September 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ a b c d "A Wisconsin Tragedy". The Weekly Wisconsin. February 13, 1886. p. 8. Retrieved September 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ 'Wisconsin's Saddest Tragedy,' M.M. Qualife, Wisconsin Historical Society: 1922, vol 15, no. 5, pp. 264–283
  6. ^ "Arndt, Charles C. P., died 1842". Wisconsin Historical Society. 8 August 2017. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  7. ^ Dickens, Charles (1842). American Notes for General Circulation. Vol. 2 (3rd ed.). London: Chapman and Hall. pp. 268–270.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Charles_C._P._Arndt&oldid=1259463091"