Mary Arnold and Arnona Farm

Posted 2006

If you've been following our profiles, it shouldn't be lost on you that the name "Mary Arnold" is frequently mentioned. As one of our earliest members, and the founder of our New York State Futurity program, Mary's influence is still strongly felt, even with her passing.

It's of importance to share her story, so that we can better appreciate what we're able to reap the benefits of today. As Mary is no longer with us, I've used some firsthand accounts to create her profile.

On the following pages, I've included content from two articles written about Mary:

Arnona Farm "Service and Dedication to the Breed" originally published in The Morgan Horse Magazine in July of 1966, as written by Barbara Cole of October Farm (used with permission of James Cole, Barbara's husband)
"I Was Horses Before Horses Were Popular" originally published in Show Horse Magazine in September of 1985, as written by David Hollis (used with permission of the author)

Woven among the articles is commentary by Mary's husband George and daughter Esther, as well as photos from Mary's private photo albums. George and Esther invited me into their home for an early December 2005 visit.

In closing, I'd like to remark that I owe Mary a great debt of gratitude, as much of our historical archives are a result of Mary's having saved early photographs and materials over the years.

It's because she had that vision, that we have so much to look back at today.

So please join me in learning more about Mary Arnold and Arnona Farm.

Note: It's with sadness that we've heard of George Arnold's passing. His obituary reads:

George E. Arnold, 99, passed away Sunday, June 22, 2008 at Taylor Health Center.
He was born December 18, 1908 in Pike, NY. He was a farmer of Holstein dairy, member Allegany-Steuben Holstein Club, New York State Morgan Horse Society, Bath Grange and the Kanona United Methodist Church Men’s Club. He was predeceased in death by his wife, Mary L. Arnold on November 2, 1998. He is survived by his daughter, Esther A. Bowen; his son, Robert W. Arnold; five grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; one brother, Alton Arnold; and several nieces and nephews.

And now Mary's story...

* Please read this important note. To best appreciate what you're about to view you'll want to remember your internet connection when selecting the Audio clips. If you use a modem and phone line to access the internet, you'll want to select "Dial Up" as the "High Speed" files will take too long to reasonably view. Unfortunately the "Dial Up" files will be small, and not easily viewed, but you can enjoy the sound by turning on/up your speakers.

Please respect that the photos used are the property of the Arnold family, and any reproduction should be only after receiving permission to download the files.

Should you have any questions, please email me at vlow@rochester.rr.com and I'll be happy to assist.