- FENNER KIMBALL, one of the prominent business men of Janesville,
President of the
- KIMBALL Hardware Company, and also a member of the firm of
THOROUGHGOOD & Co., manufacturers, is a native of North Scituate,
Rhode Island, and was born Oct. 6, 1822. He is a descendant of
Richard KIMBALL, who came to this country from Ipswich, England,
in 1634, and settled at Watertown, Mass. In 1637 he removed to
Ipswich, Mass. where he resided during the remainder of his life.
A grandson of his settled in Johnston, Rhode Island. His name
is supposed to have been Joseph. One of his (Joseph) sons, settled
at North Scituate, Rhode Island. His name was Dean; he married
Thankfull WILLIAMS, a great-grand-daughter of Roger WILLIAMS,
founder of Rhode Island. Jarvis, a son of Dean, married Phebe
IRONS, a lineal descendant of Roger WILLIAMS. Dean, son of Jarvis,
and father of the subject of this sketch, lived in the city of
Providence a large portion of his life, and died there in May,
1875.
- Our subject enjoyed but limited advantages for securing an
education, for at the age of fourteen
- years, he entered a cotton mill, where he remained until
nineteen years of age, when he entered upon an apprenticeship
to the trade of cabinet-making, painting, etc. He was thus articled
for two years, receiving as compensation for his services $45
and his board. At the end of twenty-three months, having an opportunity
to go to Fall River, Mass., and work as carpenter for $10 per
month, he bought the remainder of his time - one month - of his
employer for $12, that he might accept the more lucrative position
at Fall River. He continued to work at the carpenter's trade
for two years, when, in 1845, he left Fall River and went to
East Greenwich, R.I., whither in the meantime, his parents had
removed. There he engaged in the business of painting, continuing
to follow that occupation in Greenwich for eleven years. In the
spring of 1856, Mr. KIMBALL came to Rock County, and purchased
a farm three miles south of Janesville, in the town of La Prairie.
This was his first experience as a farmer since he was fourteen
years of age, but he succeeded in the enterprise which he had
undertaken, and for nine years lived the life of an agriculturist.
At the expiration of that time, he removed with his family to
Janesville, but continued to own his farm until 1868. Arriving
in this city, he formed a partnership in the furniture and undertaking
business with William B. BRITTON, under the firm name of BRITTON
& KIMBALL, which connection was continued until July, 1888,
when Mr. BRITTON sold out and was succeeded by James HALL, this
firm still carrying on the business under the style of KIMBALL
& HALL, the interest of Mr. KIMBALL however being under the
management of his son, Frank B. Mr. KIMBALL also formed a partnership
with E. W. LOWELL, in the hardware business, which was afterward
incorporated under the firm name of the KIMBALL Hardware Company,
in which our subject holds the office of President. In the firm
of THOUROUGHGOOD & Co., manufacturers of cigar boxes and
cigar umber, he is also a member.
- In early life, Mr. KIMBALL was a supporter of the Democratic
party, casting his first Presidential
- vote for James K. Polk, in 1844; but holding anti-slavery
views, when the Republican party was formed to prevent the further
extension of slavery, he joined its ranks, and has since voted
with that organization. He has held various official positions
among which is that of Representative, having represented his
district in the State Legislature in 1878. He has been eleven
years a member of the County Board, of which body he was made
Chairman in 1889. In his religious belief he is a Unitarian.
As a business man he ranks among the highest, and has done much
toward the advancement of several of the leading business interests
of Janesville. His fidelity to duty, his fair dealing and earnest
desire to please his customers, has won for him the respect and
confidence of all, and Mr. KIMBALL is regarded as a leading citizen
of Rock County.
-
- Taken from "The Portrait and Biographical Album of
Rock County, Wis." (c)1889, pp. 198-199.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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