I am the grandson of William Demetrius Arnold and Madora (Hursey or Hersey, both white). The son of Murray Brickey Arnold and Wanda MaBelle DeVore. My father changed his name to Murray Bruce Arnold and his birth year to 1893 other than his birth date of 1884 (in New Orleans) in his 2nd Marriage to my Mother. (My father "Pop" told his family that he lived on a plantation near the Miss. River where he played on an island or sand bar in dry weather. He also mentioned a lot about Baton Rouge. There is an island on the Miss. River in Iberville Parish below Baton Rouge on the eastside of river. May have been where his grandfather Arnold lived?) William D. Arnold was the owner of Belle Grove Plantation in Jefferson Parish in 1890 at River Ridge, LA. There were graves before Belle Grove Cemetery started in 1899 the year of William Demetrius Arnold's death. His wife, Madora, lost infants that would count for some early graves before Belle Grove Cemetery started. Understand there were graves in 1820 when Jefferson Hwy. was in the works. This site may have first been the home place of William D. Arnold? The cemetery is near Arnold Blvd. and Jefferson Hwy. and about one mile on east to River Ridge. (There were two Belle Grove Plantations. One at White Castle in Iberville Parish and one at Kenner, Jefferson Parish. The owner at Kenner was owned by Minor Kenner who died in 1862.) If anyone knows anything about William Demetrius Arnold, Arnold Blvd. and Belle Grove Plantation at River Ridge, LA please e-mail Stanley Arnold [email protected] - Belle Grove Plantation at River Ridge may have come from Minor Kenner's plantation after the Civil War?

By Stanley Arnold