An American Family History

Richard Kimball was born in 1595 in Rattlesden, Suffolk County, England. He was the son of Henry Kimball (1565 in Brettenham, England) and Johan (1567 in Mistley, England). His siblings were John Kimball (1584), Frances Kimball (1587), Rachel Kimball (1589), Henry Kimball (1590), and George Kimball (1598).

He and his brother Henry Kimball, came to Massachusetts in 1634.

He was a wheelwright and a farmer. He was admitted as a freeman in Watertown, Massachusetts on May 6, 1635. Humphrey Bradstreet was made a freeman the same day. Richard became a proprietor of the town in 1636-37.

He married Ursula Scott before 1615 in England. Their children and life together are described in detail in the section on Richard and Ursula Kimball.

He moved to the new settlement Ipswich where he worked as a wheelwright and had a grant of 40 acres.

March 1, 1645 he was elected a selectman. He was one of the proprietors of Plum Island.

On October 22, 1647 the town of Ipswich paid him two Pounds for killing two foxes.

In 1653 he was executor of Humphrey Bradstreet's will.

In 1659 he became a widower when Ursula died. He married his second wife, Margaret Dow (widow of Henry Dow, she died in 1675) on October 23, 1661 in Essex County.

He made his will March 5, 1675 and he died on June 17, 1675.

Edward Allen married in Ipswich, 24 November 1658, Sarah, daughter of Richard Kimball of Ipswich, formerly of Rattlesden, Suffolk, England. She died 12 June 1696, aged about fifty six years. Two of her brothers were killed by Indians, Caleb Kimball who served under Lothrop, at Bloody Brook, 18 September 1675, and Thomas Kimball at Rowley the following year. The Kimballs, or as the name was formerly spelled Kembold, are mentioned in the will of Henry Kembold of Hecham, 1558, as owning lands in Rattlesden (Waters' Gleanings, page 1412).

Richard Kimball (or Kcnihall) of the parish of Rattlesden, county of Suffolk, England, sailed from Ipswich, England, to this country in the ship "Elizabeth," William Andrews, Master, in 1634. His first wife (mother of Sarah Allen) was Ursula, daughter of Henry Scott of Rattlesden, England. Richard Kimball first settled in Watertown, Mass.: was made freeman 6 May 1635; and was a proprietor in 1636-7.

Soon after, he removed to Ipswich, as he was a wheelwright, and a competent man was wanted there as wheelwright to the new settlement; and he spent the remainder of his days there. He had a grant of 40 acres there. He was mentioned as "among the commoners of Ipswich," and was appointed one of the seven men 1 March 1645. He died 22 June 1675.

His greatgreat-granddaughter, Mrs. Abigail (Eastman) Webster, was the mother of Daniel Webster, the statesman. (From History of the Kimball Family in America, by Leonard Allison Morrison, A.M., and Stephen Paschall Sharpies, S.B., published by Damrell & Upham, Boston, 1897.)

From his will”  “To my Loveing wife my will is that she drell in my house and have the Improvement of my ground and meadow belonging thereto with the use and increase of my whole stock of cattle, one whole yeare after my decease, and then at the years end, the forty pound due to her acording to contract at marriage to be payd her and that hous-hold stuff she brought with her. And to have liberty to live in the parlor end of the house, the roome we now lodge in: and liberty for her nesessary vse of some part of sellar: also the liberty of one cow in the pasture, the executors to provide winter meats for the same, and to have a quarterpart of the fruit of the orchard, and firewood as long as she livest her. And if she desire to remove to her owne house, then to be settin it with what she have by my executors and to be allowed forty shillings yearl  as long as she lives. . .to my wives children viz Thomas, Jerimiah, and Mary. To Thomas and Mary I give forty shillings apeece to be payd a yeare &halfe after my decease, and to Jerimiah I give fifteene pounds to be payd at the age of one  & twenty. I give also eight pounds to the two Eldest daughter of Gyes Cowes (that he had by his first wife) to be payd and equally devided to them at the age of sixteene, if either oft hem dyes before then the whole to be given to that remaines. I also give four pounds to my Couyzen Haniell Bossworth"         

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