His name was Americanized to John Godfrey Arndt.
Arends was a pioneer teacher, preacher and Revolutionary War patriot who died in Lincoln Co., North Carolina in 1807, worn, weary and blind. He arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1773 at age 32, and settled in the southern part of Rowan Co., North Carolina, teaching for two years, then entering the ministry. For a decade he served as itinerant minister in the vast area that today includes the counties of Rowan, Cabarrus, Davie, Iredell, Catawba, Lincoln, Davidson, Guilford and Stokes.
He was educated at both Goettingen University and the Hanover Seminary in Europe. Arends was the founder of the North Carolina Synod and served as its president. He served his congregation at Organ Church in southern Rowan Co. during the American Revolution. In 1785 Pastor Arends removed to Lincoln Co. North Carolina and became founder of the Lutheran Church in the territory west of the Catawba River and was that county's first resident minister.
Johann was born at
Goetingen, Germany, on 18 December 1740. Johann immigrated, in 1773. Destination: an unknown place . He married
Hannah Rudisill on 24 October 1776. Johann died on 9 July 1807 at
Lincolnton, Lincoln Co., North Carolina, at age 66. His body was interred in July 1807 at
Lincolnton, Lincoln Co., North Carolina, at Emmanuel Church Cemetery.