U.S. Social Security Application:
LAURA ELIZABETH PANNELL
Born: September 11, 1878
Madisonville, Tennessee
Father: William C. Arnold
Mother: Margaret E. Donahoo
[Margaret E. Dunaway]

Laura Elizabeth Arnold was born on September 11, 1878 to William C. Arnold and Margaret "Maggie" J. Dunaway. William and Margaret had 12 children and Laura was one of their middle children. Maggie died between 1900-1910 and William C. died in 1931 in Benton Co., Arkansas. He is buried at the Oakley Chapel Cemetery in Rogers, Benton Co., Arkansas, along with his son, Albert "Bert" and daughter-in-law, Callie.

Laura Arnold's siblings were Franklin (1865), Martha (1867), Julia (1868), Josephine (1872), Mary (1872), Rosa (1883), Etta (1885), Charles (1888), Albert (1889) and Luther "Emmett" Arnold (1895).

Laura married Walter Anderson Matthews in approx. 1902. Their children were Frank (1904), Ethel (1906), Coy (1908), Opal (1909), Ralph (1912) and Clyde (1914). Their daughters, Ethel and Opal died at a young age of unknown causes.

RE: Luther Emmett Arnold [later: Matthews] b: 1894

In the 1900 Texas County, Missouri census, Laura's youngest brother, Emmett was listed as Luther E. Arnold, the 5 year old son of William C. and Margaret Arnold. The 1910 Benton Co., Arkansas census shows he was the son of his sister, Laura Arnold and her husband, Walter Matthews. We do not know if Laura raised young Luther Emmet, after the death of their mother, Margaret or if Emmett was the son of Laura from a previous relationship. Luther Emmet is not listed as a son on William C. Arnold's obituary. On a later census, Emmet is listed as the Uncle of Laura's youngest son, Clyde..

In 1915, Walter died in Benton Co., Arkansas, according to a newspaper article surviving were his widow wife, Laura and their 4 young sons [Frank, Coy, Ralph and Clyde.]. Walter is buried at the Oakley Chapel Cemetery in Rogers, Benton Co., Arkansas. The Find A Grave volunteer photographer reported that the gravesite is "unmarked." After Laura's death, Walter and Laura's 4 sons all moved to Central California, where they raised their families and are all buried in Kern County, California.

Laura was remarried in the early 1930's to the widower, John William Pannell. John died in 1935 in Kansas and was buried in Cherokee Co., Kansas, alongside his first wife, Safronia Isabelle Patton.

In May of 1942, Laura was killed by a female Taxi Driver on the streets of Claremore, Rogers County, Oklahoma. Laura's youngest brother, Emmet and Emmet's 2nd wife, Jewel are buried alongside each other at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Claremore, Rogers County, Oklahoma.