RICHARD KIMBALL AND HIS DESCENDANTS

The common ancestor of the great majority of Kimballs in this country was Richard Kimball1, who with his family embarked at Ipswich, in the county of Suffolk, England, April 10, 1634, in the ship Elizabeth, William Andrews, master. After braving the dangers of the ocean voyage he arrived in Boston harbor, and from thence went to Watertown, Mass. He had left the comforts and ties and oppressions of old England to find for himself and children a home in the New World. It was to him a land of promise, a land of religious and political liberty, a land to which the longing eyes of the dwellers in old Suffolk were turning as fondly as did the eyes of the ancient Hebrews turn in their captivity to the promised land of Canaan. As the Israelites passed through the "Wilderness" and through the deep waters of affliction to reach their haven of rest, so these sturdy Puritans, with their families, with undaunted hearts, broke loose from the ties of friendship, left the graves of their forefathers, passed over the wilderness of waters and reached the Canaan of their hopes. An ocean now rolled between them and their early home, and in a new and savage country, and in another hemisphere, they started a new home. They helped to make the beginnings of a New England and lay the foundations of a rival to the Old England across the sea. They were of that Puritan stock which has in its turn made New England the mother of the great West, the sturdy stock which only needs to be convinced that it is right in order to do and dare all that is noblest. A stock that found a wilderness peopled with a few savages, a climate that would have killed a less hardy race, a soil that is far from fertile, and yet out of these untoward circumstances wrested success. They came when the throes of revolution were agitating the mother country, when the conflict between the adherents of the Established Church and the Puritans, between the King and the people, was at its height, and when the principles of civil rights and religious liberty were struggling for existence in England.

James I., after a feeble reign, had expired March 27, 1625. His son, the ill-starred Charles I., had succeeded him. Fires were smouldering in England which would soon burst forth into devouring flames. In 1629 Charles I. dissolved the last of three Parliaments, and for the next eleven years attempted to rule England by his absolute power. In 1634 the king made his journey to Scotland, in order to hold a Parliament, and by a statute compel the Scottish people to worship by Episcopal rule. A very difficult task, which no king, though backed by the power of the church, could accomplish. He made William Laud Archbishop of Canterbury, whose office was an object of aversion to the Puritans. Under his authority every corner of the kingdom was subjected to a minute inspection, and every little band of Separatists or Puritans, as their adversaries called them, was tracked out and broken up, even the religious ceremonies of private families did not escape the vigilance of his spies. Deadly hatred of the Established Church and of the king as its head was thus engendered in thousands of homes.

These acts rendered England so uncomfortable that the Puritans were compelled to seek a home elsewhere. They, therefore, sought a dwelling place in the wilderness of the new world, and they called their new home, in loving remembrance of the old home from which they came, New England. Here they sought the right to worship God unmolested by bishops. There was but little opposition to the first emigration, but three years later, in 1637, by an order of the king and council, eight vessels lying in the Thames and ready to sail, freighted with Puritans, were detained. In these vessels were embarked Sir Arthur Hazelrig, John Hampden, John Pym, and Oliver Cromwell, the Great Protector, who afterwards signed the death warrant of King Charles, in 1649. Such was the condition of affairs in England, and such the insults, persecutions, and wrongs heaped upon the Puritans in 1634, which the proud spirits of many could not brook, but in the wilds of New England they sought out a home in which they might be free.

The leaders in the exodus were many of them men of influence in England, and they brought with them many men of the middle classes, who were also tired of the tyranny and exactions to which they were subjected. To this class belonged the sturdy wheelwright, Richard Kemball1. He had a trade which would be eminently useful in the new colony. His services were in such request that he was soon called to leave his first settlement at Watertown and go to Ipswich, where he was given a house lot, and other privileges, on condition that he should be the town wheelwright.

RICHARD KIMBALL

Richard Kemball1 came to this country in the ship Elizabeth, William Andrews, master, in 1634. He appears to have gone, soon after landing, to Watertown, Mass. He settled in a different part of the town from that occupied by Henry Kemball1. According to Bond and other writers Richard and Henry were brothers. There is but little evidence to support this supposition, and it seems to be mainly founded on the fact that they both came over on the same vessel. Richard is said on the shipping list to be thirty-nine years old, but he was probably somewhat older. He was, however, in the prime of life, and soon became a prominent and active man in the new settlement.

He first settled in Watertown, and his home lot is thus given by Dr. Henry Bond: Richard Kimball, six acres, bounded on the north by Cambridge, east by land of W. Hamlet, south by the highway, and west by land of Edward White.

This lot was situated a long way from the centre of the town. It is now in Cambridge, which many years ago annexed the eastern part of Watertown. The lot was situated near what is now the corner of Huron avenue and Appleton street, and near springs of water.

He was proclaimed freeman in 1635, May 6. Was a proprietor in 1636-7. Soon after this date he was invited to remove to Ipswich, where they were in need of a competent man to act as wheelwright to the new settlement. Here he spent the remainder of his days. The town granted him a house lot, Feb. 23, 1637, next adjoining Goodwin Simons at the west end of the town. He was also granted at the same time "40 acres Beyond the North Riuer, near the land of Robert Scott." In 1639 he had liberty to pasture "two cows free." On "the last day of the last month 1641" he is mentioned as "Among the Commoners of Ipswich." He was appointed one of the seven men March 1, 1645. On the 22d day of the tenth mo. 1647 he was allowed two Pounds for killing two foxes.

His services as wheelwright were appreciated by his townspeople, for he was permitted in January, 1649, "to fell such white Oaks as he hath occasion to use about his trade for the town use."

December 19, 1648, he contributed with others three shillings as his annual proportion towards the sum of œ27, 7s, as a rate for the services of their military leader, Major David Dennison, then commander of the military forces of Essex and Norfolk counties.

In September, 1652, he was one of the appraisers of the estate of John Cross, one of the earliest settlers of Ipswich.

On the 25, day 11 mo 1652, he and his son Richard, Wheelwrights, "for œ14. sell 30 acres upland bounding on land of Mr. John Winthrop," also another lot of land of ten acres of "medow".

In 1653 he was one of a committee of three to survey fences in the common fields north of the river. His brother-in-law Thomas Scott died Feb. 1653-4 and he was joint executor with Edmund Bridges of his will. On May 25, 1654, their official position was recognized by Thomas Scott, Jr., then a resident of Stamford, Conn.

In 1660 he was granted right "to fell 20 white oak trees to make weels for the townsmen their use." In 1664 he owned 43 shares in Plumb Island.

Richard Kimball was of the parish of Rattlesden, county of Suffolk, England, as is shown by the following entry on the parish register:

Henry Kemball ye sonne of Richard and Vrsula his wife baptized 1615 12 of August.

Richard Kimball married second, Oct. 23, 1661, Margaret Dow, widow of Henry Dow of Hampton, N. H.

WILL OF RICHARD KIMBALL1.

[Ipswich Deeds, Vol. IV, p. 12.]

The last will and Testament of Richard Kimball senr of Ipswich in Essex in new England who although weake in body yet of prfect memory doe dispose of my lands & estate in maner & form as followeth.

To my Loveinge wife my will is that she shall dwell in my house and have the Improvement of my ground and meadow belonging thereto with the use and increase of my whole stock of cattle, one whole yeare after my decease, and then at the years end, the forty pound due to her acording to contract at marriage to be payd her and that hous-hold stuff she brought with her. And to have liberty to live in the parlor end of the house, the roome we now lodge in: and liberty for her nesessary vse of some part of sellar: also the liberty of one cow in the pasture, the executors to provide winter meate for the same, and to have a quarter part of the fruit of the orchard, and firewood as long as she lives ther., And if she desire to remove to her owne house, then to be sett in it with what she have by my executors and to be alowed forty shillings yearly as long as shee lives.

And to my Eldest son Henry, my will is to give him three score and ten pounds to bee payd Twenty pounds, a year & half after my decease, & the remaining part in the two years following after that.

To my son Richard I give fforty pounds.

To my son John I give twenty pounds.

To my son Thomas I give Twenty five pounds to bee payd two years and a halfe after my decease, and to his children I give seaven pounds to be devided equally among them and paid as they come of age or at day of marriage. provided if any dye before then their share to be distributed equally amongst the rest.

And to my son Benjamin, besides the two oxen, allready received I give the sum of twenty five pounds, ten pound to be payd a yeare and halfe after my decease. The rest the two years ffollowing, also to his children I give five pounds, equally to be devyded, and payd, as they come of age, or at day of marriage, in case any dye before, that part to be equally divided to the rest.

And to my son Caleb I give that peace of land knowne by the name of Tings lott, and all my land att Wattells neck with my marsh at the hundreds knowne by the name of Wiatts marsh, and all my working tools exsept two axes, all to be delivered present after my discease also I give fourteene pounds to his seaven children equally to be devided, to be payd as they come of age or at Day of mariage, and if any dye before, that part to be equally devided amongst the rest.

To my son-in-law John Severns, I give ten pounds to be pay'd two yeares & a halfe after my decease.

And to my Daughter Elizabeth, I give thirty pounds, ten pound to be payd, a year & halfe after my decease, and the other two parts, the two following years after that. To my Daughter Mary I give ten pounds, five pound to be payd a year & halfe after my decease, the other five pound the year after that.

To my daughter Sarah I give forty pound, five pound to be payd the yeare & halfe after my decease and the rest five pound a yeare till it be all payd, also to her children I give seaven pounds ten shillings to be payed to them as they come of age or at day of marriage, if any dye before, that part to be equally devyded to the rest.

And to my daughter Sarah above sd; I also give the bed I lye on with the furniture after one years use of it by my wife.

To my wives children viz. Thomas, Jerimiah, and Mary.

To Thomas and Mary I give forty shillings apeece to be payd a yeare & halfe after my decease, and to Jerimiah I give fifteene pounds to be payd at the age of one & twenty. I give also eight pounds to the two Eldest daughters of Gyes Cowes (that he had by his first wife) to be payd and equally devided to them at the age of sixteene, if either of them dye before then the whole to be given to that that remaines.

I also give four pounds to my Couzen Haniell Bossworth, And doe ordaine & apoynt my two sons above sd. Richard and John Kimball to be my lawfull and sole executors.

And my Couzen Haniell Bosworth above sayd to be my overseer that this my last will and Testament be duely and truly performed And thus I conclude with setting too my hand and seale the fifth of march 1674-5

Richard Kemball & a mark and a seale.

Signed & sealed after the enterlining This will is proved in court

(and firewood) in the held at Ypswich the 28th of

seventh line in the originall Sept: 1675. by the oaths of

yn the presence of Deacon Pengry And Aron

Moses Pengry Senr. Pengry to be the last will of

Aron Pengry Ser. Richard Kimball to the best of

yr knowledge and that they

know of noe other.

Attest Robert Lord cler.

Moses and Aaron Pengry were prominent citizens of Ipswich. The marriage settlement of Sarah Pengry, daughter of Moses, is on record at Salem, Mass. She married John, son of Robert Day, and three of her children married three children of Benjamin Kimball2 of Bradford, Mass.

Having thus made his will he waited for the coming of the messenger who would sunder all earthly ties and take him on his eternal journey. The angel delayed not long his coming. On the twenty-second of the following June the earthly pilgrimage of Richard Kimball ended, and, aged more than eighty years, he joined the great majority.

His wife did not long survive him, but died the succeeding spring, March 1, 1676. Richard Kimball1 was well to do for those early days. The inventory of his estate, which was taken July 12, 1675, and returned to court Sept. 28, 1675, amounted to œ737 3s. 6d. He had already given to his children at their marriages.

Source: "History of the Kimball family in America, from 1634 to 1897 : and of its ancestors the Kemballs or Kemboldes of England; with an account of the Kembles of Boston, Massachusetts" ⁵⁹⁸³