 Arnold had a good relationship with the native people , and in the words of Elisha Stephen Arnold , author of the family genealogy ( 1935 ) , " he felt for the Indians a conscientious kindliness and in his dealings with them was actuated by a sense of strictest justice . " Also , like Roger Williams , he made an effort to learn their language and acted as interpreter many times , being paid , in one instance , 26 shillings for his services . Being able to communicate with the Indians , he was able to buy large tracts of land from them , and soon he and his sons owned nearly 10 @,@ 000 acres ( 40 km2 ) . In 1650 he paid more than three and a half pounds and his son Benedict paid five pounds , the highest taxes paid in the colony , implying that the Arnold family was among the wealthiest , if not the wealthiest , families in the colony in terms of land holdings . 
