- KIMBLE KILLAM, superintendent of the Rock County Insane Asylum
and Almshouse,
- Janesville township, is a public official whose record shows
that he has faithfully discharged the trusts heretofore reposed
in him, and that he is a man to whom may safely be trusted the
care of the unfortunates of his locality.
- Kimble KILLAM was born in Milton, Rock County, Jan. 18, 1849,
a son of Rush and Ada J.
- (KIMBLE) KILLAM, natives of Pike County, Penn. The paternal
grandfather of our subject, Moses KILLAM, was a native of Pennsylvania,
of Mohawk-Dutch descent. By occupation he was a farmer and surveyor,
and he died at an advanced age. He had sixteen children. The
grandfather on the mother's side, Burnham KIMBLE, was also a
native of Pennsylvania, and of Mohawk-Dutch descent. The family
resided in that state for several generations prior to the time
of Burnham KIMBLE. By occupation he was a farmer, and he died
when an old man; he had eleven children.
- Rush KILLAM, the father of Kimble KILLAM, was a farmer, and
migrated to Wisconsin in
- 1839, entering a farm from the government, in the northern
part of Milton, in sections 1 and 2. This property he improved,
and resided on it until his death, which occurred in 1871, when
he was fifty-seven. His widow stills survives, residing on a
farm in Lima, owned by Kimble KILLAM. In religious belief Mrs.
Rush KILLAM is a Methodist, while her husband was a Universalist.
During his life Rush KILLAM was township supervisor and assessor.
Five children were born to this worthy couple, one son and four
daughters, four now living: Lucy A.; Kimble; Harriet, deceased,
who was the wife of S. F. MINARD; Cornelia I., wife of J. J.
NEAL of Chicago; and Augusta, wife of August DAHBERG, of Chicago.
- Kimble KILLAM, our subject, was reared to manhood in Milton
township, attended the public
- schools, and later went two terms to Milton College, after
which he returned to his occupation of farming. After his father's
death, when he was twenty-two, Kimble KILLAM rented the home
farm for seven years, then purchased it, and after improving
the property sold it in 1893, and bought the farm of 160 acres
in Lima township which he still owns. Here he resided until
he was elected, by the board of trustees, as superintendent of
the Rock County Insane Asylum and Almshouse, which position he
assumed on Feb. 1, 1900. Prior to this date Mr. KILLAM held
various public offices, having been supervisor of Milton township
a number of years; chairman of the town board several terms;
assessor in Milton township for five years; and a member of the
board of trustees of the Asylum for four years before he was
appointed superintendent.
- The buildings, which are very comfortable and spacious, were
erected in 1893, in Janesville
- township, about three miles north of the city of Janesville,
near the Rock river and are surrounded by the poor farm of 382
acres. The former location was in Johnstown township, but the
present one is considered better adapted to the requirements
of the institutions. The new buildings were occupied on May
1, 1894, and the average number of insane confined is about 150;
those in the almshouse number about fifty-five.
- On Dec. 18, 1873, Kimble KILLAM married Miss Mary A. MARQUART,
daughter of Philip
- and Nancy (LIVINGSTON) MARQUART, and seven children, two
sons and five daughters, have been born of this union: Grace
C., Myrtie E., Inez M., Nellie M., Rush P., Mark and Eva. Mrs.
KILLAM is a consistent member of and worker in the Baptist Church.
Politically Mr. KILLAM is a Republican, and an earnest supporter
of the principles of that party. This family is an old one in
this part of Wisconsin, and very highly respected, and Mr. and
Mrs. KILLAM enjoy the esteem of a large circle of acquaintances
and friends.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin"
(c) 1901, p. 98.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
|