The town of Ipswich was established on August 5, 1634, from common land called Agawam. On October 18, 1648, that portion called the "Village" at the New Meadows was set off as Topsfield. The boundary line between Ipswich and Topsfield was established, February 28, 1694.
Benjamin Kimball was born on July 22, 1670 in Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts. He was the son of John and Mary Kimball. Researchers differ on whether it was Mary Bradstreet or Mary Jordan. He was a yeoman.
He married his cousin, Mary Kimball. on July 16, 1694. Mary was born on January 15, 1670/71 in Topsfield, Essex County, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of John and Sarah Kimball. John was the son of Richard Kimball, Jr.
His children included:
John Kimball (1695),
Mary Kimball (1697),
Hannah Kimball (1700),
Benjamin Kimball (1702),
Elizabeth Kimball White (1705, married Josiah White),
Aaron Kimball (1709, married Ruth Metcalf),
Sarah Kimball (1713) and
Joseph Kimball.
On April 25, 1696, his fatherdeeded him the north end of his farm, along with the house, barn and orchard on the Ipswich common. He also gave him six acres called Jacob's Meadow, three acres of salt marsh at Wattles Neck, and the West end of a lot in the common field called Varnums.
Essex County, Massachusetts was created on May 10, 1643 by the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, when it ordered "that the whole plantation within this jurisdiction be divided into four sheires."
Various spellings of Kimball:
Kemball, Kembolde, Kembold
The town common (commons) was a small, open field at the center of the town which was jointly owned. It was used as a marketplace, a place for the militia to drill, or for grazing livestock.
from The Driver Family by Harriet Ruth Waters Cooke
Benjamin Kimball, (No. 42) son of John (Richard), and second wife mary (Jordan) Kimball, born in Ipswich, Mass., July 22, 1670; died May 28, 1716, yeoman; md. July 16, 1694, Mary Kimball, daughter of John Kimball and Sarah, his wife (No. 27, second child); hence his cousin. She [was] born in Topsfield, Mass., Jan. 15, 1671; living in 1716.
April 25, 1696, John Kimball deeds to his son Benjamin, the North end of his farm, with house, barn and orchard, bounded on Ipswich common, Edward Neland's farm, and the other part of the farm which he hath given to his son Joseph;
also 6 acres called Jacobs meadow, bounded east on a piece of meadow given to son Joseph,
and three acres salt marsh at Wattles Neck, called the 10-acre lot, bounded partly on the same marsh, given to son John, lying between Egypt River and Joseph Quilters fence and on the end of marsh by Samuel, Thomas and Richard Kemble--
also the West end of lott in common field called Varnums lott.
Isaac Jewett, John Warner, Jr. wit.
Children were:
57. John Kimball, born October 21, 1695; died July 21, 1729.
58. Mary Kimball, born Oct. 24, 1697; died before
1716.
59. Hannah Kimball, born June 3,, 1700.
60. Benjamin Kimball, born April 3, 1702; died before 1729.
61. Elizabeth Kimball, born Oct. 18, 1705.
62. Aaron Kimball, born July 6, 1709; died Nov. 9, 1738 md. Feb. 17, 1729, Ruth Metcalfe.
63. Sarah Kimball, bapt. March 15, 1713; died before 1716.
64. Joseph Kimball, born -; died before 1716.
Old Style Calendar
Before 1752 the year began on Lady Day, March 25th,. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year. Old Style (O.S.) and New Style (N.S.) are used to indicate whether the year has been adjusted. Often both dates are used.
A yeoman was a man who owned and cultivated a small farm. He belonged to the class below the gentry or land owners. A husbandman was a free tenant farmer. The social status of a husbandman was below that of a yeoman.
