An American Family History

Richard Kimball, Jr. was born in 1623 in Rattlesden, Suffolk County, England. His parents were Richard Kimball and Ursula Scott.

He came to America with his family on the ship Elizabeth in 1634. He was a wheelwright and yeoman.

He inherited 40 schillings from his grandfather, Henry Scott, which he would receive when he turned 21. Henry died in 1623.

Both of his wives were named Mary. The first died September 2, 1672. His children were John Kimball (1645), Samuel Kimball (1651), Thomas Kimball (1651), Ephraim Kimball (1660), Caleb Kimball (1665), Christopher Kimball (1665), Richard Kimball (1671), an unnamed child, and Nathaniel Kimball (1676).

In a deposition dated' September, 1658, Richard mentioned having "lived on Goodman Shatswell's farm for seven years." The family moved to Wenham between 1652 and 1656. Richard owned large amounts of land there.

On November 8, 1657, he subscribed £3 to the minister's rate, to be paid one-half in wheat and one-half in Indian corn. The next year he was chosen selectman, and continued in that office except for three years to 1674. He participated in committees to consider building a new meeting house, to perfect the line between Bass River and Wenham, and to establish rates for the cost of building a meeting house.

When his father died in 1675 he received “fforty pounds.”

Richard died in Wenham on May 26, 1676.

Genealogical and Family History of the State of Maine by George Thomas Little, Henry Sweetser Burrage, Albert Roscoe Stubbs, published by Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1909

Richard (2), son of Kimball Richard (1) and Ursula (Scott) Kimball, was born in Rattlesden, England, in 1623, and died in Wenham, Massachusetts, May 26, 1676. He came to America with his father. He was called a wheelwright and yeoman.

In a deposition dated September, 1658, he mentions having "lived on Goodman Shatswell's farm for seven years." He removed to Wenham between 1652 and 1656, settled in the westerly part of the town, and was the first settler named Kimball in that town. It seems that he was the largest taxpayer among the early settlers. That he owned large amounts of lands at different times is shown by the records of numerous conveyances in the records at Salem, November 8, 1657, he subscribed £3 to the minister's rate, to be paid one-half in wheat and one-half in Indian corn. The next year he was chosen selectman, and was continued in that office with the exception of three years, till 1674. December 4, 1660, he was one of a committee to see about building a new meeting house. February 28, 1663, the town leased two hundred acres of the best of its common land for one thousand years to Abner Ordway, Thomas Searles, John Edwards and Richard Kimball Jr. Richard Kimball was one of a committee to perfect the line between Bass River and Wenham, and July 18, 1673, was one of a committee to establish rates for the cost of building a meeting house.

The amount of the inventory of his estate taken after his death was £986 16s. 6d. His dwelling house and one hundred and thirty-two acres of land and one hundred and seventy acres of meadow belonging to it were appraised at £370. He also had two hundred acres at Rowley Village. The genealogist deduces from the fact that Thomas Kimball had wages due him from the county at the time of his death, as stated in his inventory, that it is possible that he had been engaged in the war with the Indians, and was probably with his nephew, Caleb Kimball, at the time the latter was killed at Bloody Brook.

Richard Kimball married (first) Mary, whose surname does not transpire. She died September 2, 1672. His second wife was also named Mary, probably Mary Gott. His children, all but the last two probably by his first wife, were: John, Samuel, Thomas, Ephraim, Caleb, Christopher, Richard, a child, and Nathaniel.