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Below is a family biography included in History of Shawnee County, Kansas and Representative Citizens by James L. King, published by Richmond & Arnold, 1905.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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CAPT. FREDERICK MARIUS KIMBALL.
Capt. Frederick Marius Kimball, secretary of the Aetna Building & Loan Association, of Topeka, and one of the city’s valued and esteemed residents, whose portrait accompanies this sketch, belongs to one of the old and distinguished families of America, and one which has been identified with its military history.

In tracing the Kimball side of our subject’s ancestry, we find that the family was founded by two brothers, Richard and Henry Kimball, probably living in Ipswich, England, whence they embarked on April 10, 1634, in the good ship “Elizabeth” of which William Andrews was master, evidently a good seaman as he safely landed his passengers at Boston, Massachusetts. Richard Kimball, from whom our subject’s line descended, was a Puritan. He settled at Watertown, where, with his family and others of like religious sentiments, he assisted in the laying of foundations of a social life which has given to other sections, particularly the West, a large majority of their notable men. Richard Kimball left England when that country was in the throes of revolution, when the conflict between the Established Church and the Puritans was at its height, at the time when the principles of civil rights, and religious liberty were struggling for existence. Richard Kimball was evidently a man of affairs. We learn that he was proclaimed a freeman in 1635 and was a proprietor in 1636-37.

Soon after this date he was invited to remove to Ipswich where the village needed a competent wheelwright, and he accepted the offer and spent the remainder of his years at that place. The town granted him a home lot on February 23, 1637, and he was also granted 40 acres of land. Among the commoners of Ipswich he is mentioned frequently in the records. On March 1, 1645, he was appointed one of seven selectmen. In January, 1649, permission was given him to fell such white oaks as he had need in order to follow his trade, and in 1652 he was one of the appraisers of the estate of John Cross, one of the earliest settlers of Ipswich. Thus he is seen to have been a man of industry and integrity, a worthy progenitor of a long and honorable line. His birth probably took place at Rattlesden, Suffolk, England, and his death at Ipswich, Massachusetts, when full of years. He was twice married, his second union being on October 23, 1661, to Margaret, the widow of Henry Dow, of Hampton, New Hampshire.

II. Benjamin Kimball, of the second generation, son of Richard Kimball, the founder, was born in 1637 and died June 11, 1695. At Salisbury, Massachusetts, in April, 1661, he married Mercy Hazeltine, who was born August 16, 1642, and died January 5, 1707 or 1708.

III. Richard Kimball, son of Benjamin, and of the third generation, was born December 30, 1665, and died January 10, 1711. On September 6, 1692, he married Mehitable Day, who was born January 26, 1669.

IV. Benjamin Kimball, son of Richard, of the fourth generation, was born at Bradford, Massachusetts, July 11, 1695, and died in 1752. On February 17, 1719, he married Priscilla , who was born at Haverhill, Massachusetts, November 25, 1698, and died in November, 1782.

V. Deacon John Kimball, son of Benjamin, and of the fifth generation, was born at Bradford, Massachusetts, February 5, 1738 or 1739, and died at Concord, New Hampshire, December 31, 1817. On November 23, 1765, he married Anna Ayer, daughter of Samuel and Ann (Hazen) Ayer, who was born at Haverhill, Massachusetts, October 3, 1740, and died in March, 1819. Deacon John Kimball lived on the homestead at Bradford, Massachusetts, until his marriage and then moved with his bride to Concord, New Hampshire, a great journey in those days. He lived in Concord on the place now occupied by Samuel S. Kimball. He united with the church at Bradford at the age of 18 and during a period of 30 years was absent but once from public worship. Clergymen were always welcomed at his home and he was their valued friend. For 29 years he was an officer in the church and this was in the days when a churchman’s walk and conversation were much more closely criticised than in our more liberal days. In his wife he found a true and loving companion through 50 years of wedded life. In 1769 she united with the church at Concord. They both loved the House of God and Deacon John Kimball remembered the Concord church in his will.

VI. Judge John Kimball, of the sixth generation, a son of Deacon John Kimball and the grandfather of our subject, was born at Concord, New Hampshire, October 3, 1769, and died at Barton, Vermont, May 9, 1844. He was married December 6, 1792, to Eunice White, who was born at Stratford, Vermont, September 26, 1770, and died May 24, 1840. When of age he settled on wild land in Vershire, Vermont, but returned after the birth of his first child to Concord where he remained until 1801, when he went to Barton, where our subject was born. He served as town clerk and justice continuously from 1803 to 1842 and was frequently a selectman. In 1807-8-9 he was a Representative and in 1820 he was elected judge of probate. He held the latter office for 10 years, and later was assistant judge in the County Court. He was one of the 18 founders of the Congregational Church at Barton, in 1817, of which church he was an influential member and efficient officer.

VII. Frederick White Kimball, of the seventh generation, a son of Judge John Kimball and the father of our subject, was born at Barton, Vermont, January 7, 1805, and died at Glover, Vermont, December 2, 1872. He was married in 1835 to Mrs. Mary (Hinman) Chadwick, a widow with two daughters,—Ann and Martha. She was a kind and loving mother and died November 17, 1891. When gold was discovered in California, Mr. Kimball left the farm and in 1850 he went, by way of the Isthmus of Panama, to the “Golden” State, having comfortably settled his wife and children at Glover. During the next four and a half years he suffered many hardships both by sea and land, but returned safely home in 1854, having secured a comfortable supply of gold but broken in health. Subsequently he took an active part in the affairs of town and county and in 1855 he was elected a justice of the peace, an office he held for 17 years. He was a trial justice and very seldom were any of his decisions reversed by a higher court. In 1870 he was a member of the State Constitutional Convention. All through his life he was a shrewd business man, a highly respected citizen and one who held the confidence and esteem of his fellow townsmen.

In the eighth generation we reach the esteemed subject of this biography, Capt. Frederick Marius Kimball, who was born at Barton, Vermont, June 14, 1840. He was educated at the Orleans Liberal Institute, at Glover, Vermont, taught school for several winters and then entered upon the study of the law. Before finishing his legal course, however, he enlisted for service in the Civil War, on October 15, 1861, entering Company D, Sixth Reg., Vermont Vol. Inf., at Montpelier, and immediately was hurried with his comrades to the seat of war. During the following winter the Sixth Regiment was quartered at Camp Griffin, Virginia, and was brigaded with four other Vermont regiments, this combination afterward becoming distinguished, the “Old Vermont Brigade” making a record second to no other organization in the entire army, this reputation being gained through its individual gallantry. Captain Kimball participated in 25 battles, and was twice wounded. He entered the service as a private and was mustered out a captain. He took part in these great engagements: Lee’s Mills, Williamsburg, Golding’s Farm, Savage Station, White Oak Swamp, Malvern Hill, Harrison’s Landing, Second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, both battles at Fredericksburg, Maryus Heights, Bank’s Ford, Gettysburg and Funktown, besides many minor engagements and skirmishes. From early in 1863 he was in command of his company, to which rank personal bravery had promoted him, and in all its subsequent movements he was its leader. He was wounded at Bank’s Ford on May 4, 1863, and again, very severely, at Funkstown, Maryland, July 10, 1863, and from the effects of the latter injury he has never recovered entirely.

His experiences on both of these occasions were thrilling in the extreme and their recital must afford interest to all those who admire courage and valor. At Bank’s Ford, when his regiment charged Early’s assaulting columns, the enemy was thrown into great confusion by the unexpected attack, broke and ran, hotly pursued by the Sixth Vermont, with fixed bayonets. Captain Kimball’s belt-plate turned a minnie ball and thus saved his life, but in glancing off wounded him slightly in the arm. The regiment captured over 400 prisoners in this charge, and one Confederate captain surrendered his sword and the remnant of his company to Captain Kimball, after having been shot through the face. The prisoners threw down their muskets and were left in charge of several privates and ordered to the rear. Captain Kimball had only turned to go forward when a Confederate, who had surrendered, picked up a gun from the ground and was in the very act of shooting him when his movement was discovered by Sergeant Cleveland, of Captain Kimball’s company, who was still quicker with his gun and shot the Rebel. After his wound at Funkstown, he continued to direct the movements of his company until his boot was full of blood. The wound was a serious one and after this he was never able to perform field service, receiving his honorable discharge by order of the Secretary of War, October 22, 1863.

Within a week of his discharge, Captain Kimball was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in the Veteran Reserve Corps, by President Lincoln, and from this time until the close of the war he performed post and garrison duties at various points, a portion of the time at Brattleboro and St. Albans, Vermont. For meritorious conduct he received several promotions, again reaching the rank of captain. After the close of the war he was assigned to duty in the Freedman’s Bureau and was stationed in Virginia as superintendent of several counties, with headquarters at Lawrenceville. The four years of his service in this difficult and trying position make a history of themselves. The men who accepted these posts had to bear insult and injury almost beyond belief and with courage had also to be equipped with tact, judgment and a thorough knowledge of existing conditions. What was hard to bear was the fact that his family were also subject to insult and ostracism. His noble wife cheerfully bore it all and not only gave him added courage by her loving sympathy, but at least on one occasion saved his life. Captain Kimball had supervision of the registrations and elections, a dangerous mission, only less so than the organizing and sustaining of the colored schools. Those old days of bitter feeling have mainly passed away in the general prosperity and mutual aims of the reunited country, but those who were entrusted with official duties and faithfully performed them as did Captain Kimball, can scarcely forget those strenuous years, nor should their fellow-citizens. The Freedmen’s Bureau expired by limitation of law, January 1, 1869, and at that time Captain Kimball received an honorable discharge after an unbroken service of over seven years.

Captain Kimball was chosen a delegate from the Fourth Congressional District of Virginia to the Republican National Convention that met at Chicago, May 20, 1868, and assisted in nominating General Grant for the presidency. He was a candidate for State Senator and was urged by his friends to run for Congress, but this honor he declined on account of his youth and want of legislative experience. He accepted other honors, however, and served under the appointment of General Stoneman, Provisional Governor of Virginia, as clerk of the County and Circuit courts of Brunswick County, an office he held for six months. As a business opening for him appeared in the West, he put aside political aspirations, resigned his offices in Virginia, and in September, 1869, removed to Cameron, Missouri.

For some years after removing to Missouri, Captain Kimball was successfully engaged in mercantile pursuits, but a man of his force of character and enlightenment and progressive spirit could not be hidden in the commercial life of the city, and from being elected a member of the City Council he became acting mayor and in 1884 was appointed postmaster. He officiated in this office until a change of administration caused a change in this office. The succeeding four years were spent pleasantly in Colorado, where Captain Kimball engaged in dealing in real estate, but in the fall of 1890 he again took up his residence at Cameron. Two years later, in July, 1892, he came to Topeka. Since then his whole time has been employed in the interests of the Aetna Building & Loan Association, of which he is the secretary.

The Aetna Building & Loan Association was organized in October, 1891, with Byron Roberts as president. The first officers were: Byron Roberts, president and treasurer; John Guthrie, vice-president; J. W. Hamilton, chairman; F. M. Kimball, secretary; David Overmyer, counselor; and A. B. Quinton, attorney. The present board of directors is composed of these capitalists: Byron Roberts, A. B. Quinton, H. M. Steele, J. F. Carter and F. M. Kimball. The association began business on January 1, 1892, and Captain Kimball entered upon his duties as secretary in July, 1892.

On September 27, 1863, Captain Kimball was married to Susannah Hoyt, who is a daughter of Joseph and Mary Vinal (Perry) Hoyt, the latter of whom was a daughter of Anthony and Submit (Wheatley) Perry. Submit Wheatley was a daughter of Nathaniel and Vinal (Bliss) Wheatley. Nathaniel Wheatley was born at Norwich, Connecticut, May 21, 1752, and died at Brookfield, Vermont, July 26, 1824. He was a son of John and Submit (Peck) (Cooke) Wheatley. In the Revolutionary War Nathaniel Wheatley was a member of a New Hampshire regiment under the command of Col Jonathan Chase, and he was at Ticonderoga and Saratoga, in 1776-77. The family records on Captain Kimball’s side date as far back as 1595 and on Mrs. Kimball’s side to 1634, and four great-grandfathers in the Revolution establish very completely the claims of Mrs. Kimball and daughter to membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution. Captain and Mrs. Kimball had four children, viz.: Carl Willis, born August 26, 1867, a graduate of the Cameron High School and St. James Military Academy at Macon, Missouri, who entered into business in 1890 at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and in 1893 connected himself with the Austin Kimball Company, of New York; Mary Gertrude, born at Cameron, Missouri, May 9, 1870, deceased December 11, 1870; Claude Frederick, born at Cameron, Missouri, May 27, 1873; and Maude Louise Inez, born at Cameron, Missouri, December 22, 1877. The family belong to the Congregational Church.

In addition to being a Son of the American Revolution, Captain Kimball is a Knight Templar Mason and enjoys membership in the higher branches of the order, and is a member of Lincoln Post, No. 1, G. A. R., at Topeka. He was commander for three consecutive terms of Joe Hooker Post, G. A. R., at Cameron, Missouri. He has become thoroughly identified with Topeka and her interests and in him the city recognizes a liberal-minded, progressive citizen, who is justly entitled to the universal esteem in which he is held.

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This family biography is one of 206 biographies included in History of Shawnee County, Kansas and Representative Citizens by James L. King, published by Richmond & Arnold, 1905.  For the complete description, click here: Shawnee County, Kansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Shawnee County, Kansas family biographies here: Shawnee County, Kansas

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