Talk:William Henry Kimball

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The following text was recently added to the article. It got some problems with excessively POV statements, but it also has some information that could be valuable for expanding the article. So I've moved it here for editors to use in working with the article. Good Ol’factory (talk) 21:01, 11 March 2012 (UTC)

William Henry  Kimball    (1826 – 1907)      Written by Marlin Kent Larsen, great, great grandson

William Henry Kimball was born on April 10, 1826 in Mendon, Monroe County, New York. He was the first son of Heber Chase Kimball and Vilate Murray. He was the second child in the family with Helen Mar being his older sister. The Kimball family was converted into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1832. William was six years old when he was baptized on April 14, 1832. The family moved to Kirtland, Ohio to join the saints. Over the next few years, they moved on to Missouri, Commerce, Illinois, and Nauvoo. William had a big responsibility caring for his mother and siblings while his father served eight missions including his leadership in England. William married Mary Maurine Davenport on January 11, 1844 in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois. She was born on February 27, 1824 in Covington, Genessee, New York, the daughter of James Davenport and Almira Phelps. William was eighteen and Mary was twenty years old. They were sealed in the Nauvoo Temple on January 11, 1846. While in Nauvoo, William was active in Church and community affairs. He rose in rank in the Nauvoo Legion and was known for his leadership, courage, and dedication in protecting the Church and its leaders. The first child born to William and Mary was born on  March 13, 1845 in Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois. She was named Helen Vilate after William’s older sister and mother. When the saints were driven from Nauvoo, Heber C. moved his extended family across the Mississippi River to Sugar Creek. They settled in Winter Quarters where preparations were made for the trek west. Mary gave birth to their second child, Marian Anna on February 26, 1847 in Florence, Nebraska. Heber left for the Salt Lake Valley with the first pioneer company in 1847. He left William with a daunting responsibility to care for Heber’s twelve wives and children during his absence along with his own young family. His father given him instructions to outfit the family and prepare them for the move west when he returned. Heber C. returned in the fall of 1847 and was chosen by Brigham Young as his first counselor in the Church. He had served as an apostle, missionary, and Church leader for several years. As soon as spring arrived, the saints were organized into wagon companies for the exodus the following year. The Heber C. Kimball wagon company included six hundred and sixty two saints,  two hundred and twenty six wagons, cattle, milk cows, and a variety of livestock. They arrived in the valley on September 24, 1848. The Kimball family occupied the city block north and east of temple square. William continued his leadership in the Nauvoo Legion when the saints were established in Utah. The Utah Militia or State Militia was maintained to protect the saints. He advanced rank by rank from Lieutenant to General in the territorial militia His courage, bravery, and fearlessness in leading his men earned him respect and admiration.. In February, 1850 Chief Elk declared war against the settlers in Utah County. He fortified his Ute band in some deserted cabins on the Provo River. The militia which included fifty men waged battle against them for two days. On the third day Captain Burton, commanded Lt. Kimball to select fifteen men and lead a charge against the Indians. William, Ephraim Hanks, and the militiamen stormed the cabin while under heavy fire and gained access inside. A ball fired by the Indians hit the saddle horn on William’s saddle and passed almost all the way through. A few inches either way and it would have hit him in the stomach and he would have died. The Utah band was defeated and William was immortalized for his gallantry in what become known as Battle Creek. William entered into plural marriage on December 24, 1851 when he married his second wife, Melissa Burton. She was one of the four women who traveled the entire journey with the Mormon Battalion. Her husband, William Coray, died of consumption shortly after they arrived in Salt Lake after an arduous journey of over 2,000 miles over two years. William and Melissa Coray had one daughter, Melissa. She had eight more children with William H. Kimball. In July, 1853 The Walker War was waged between the pioneer settlers and Chief Walkara’s Ute braves. Lt. Colonel Kimball and one hundred of his men were called into action in Utah Valley. They succeed in bringing an end to the Indian threat against the saints. In August, he was ordered by Brigham Young to lead a force against Fort Bridger and end Jim Bridger’s anti-Mormon activity with Indians and non-Mormon pioneers. Williams continued in leadership in the militia and in protecting the Mormon settlements from the Indian threat. He earned the rank of Brigadier General in 1858 William left his two wives, Mary and Melissa and children to serve a mission in England in the fall of 1853. He was assigned to London, Reading, Kent and Essex. It was a new world for William and he made many new friends including Dr. Livingston, the African Explorer. He made arrangements for William to meet Queen Victoria. One of his daughter’s was named after her. On William’s return trip from England, he was stationed in Iowa City to assist the immigrants from England. There were several hundred saints who were preparing to continue on to Utah. William helped outfit them and buy cattle for the journey. These saints were organized into the Willie and Martin Handcart Companies. The returning missionaries hurried on to the valley and warned President Brigham Young of their eminent danger. After two days rest, William and his long time friend and militia comrade led the rescue part to save the handcart pioneers. Upon finding them in Wyoming, William led the rescuers in bringing the Willie Company to the valley. He turned around and went back out to assist with the Martin Company. The courage and bravery of those who saved these saints will be remembered forever. Once the Willie and Martin handcart pioneers reached the safety of Salt Lake, William returned to his families and adjusted back to pioneer life. He served as Sergeant-at-Arms for the Legislative Assembly in the fall. Martha Jane Vance would become William’s third plural wife on January 17, 1857. She was the daughter of John Vance and Elizabeth Campbell and was born on September 25, 1838. William was thirty one and Martha was eighteen years old. They would have eight children together. On February 12, 1857 William added a fourth wife to the family. Lucy Amelia Pack was born on June 24, 1837 to John and Julie Ives Pack. She was eleven years old when her family joined the Heber C. Kimball wagon train west. Lucy was nineteen when this union was made. They had one daughter together, Julia Aline Kimball, who was born on March 9, 1858. Shortly thereafter, she left William and after a divorce she married Joseph Baker. With the threat of Johnston’s Army coming to Utah in 1857, William resumed his status as a militia officer. He was active in the resistance at Echo Canyon and was assigned by his father to move all the Kimball family to Utah Valley for their safety. After negotiatons between the Mormons and Army were settled, William escorted Colonel Kane and Governor Cummings into Salt Lake City. William moved out of the Salt Lake Valley and settled in Parley’s Park in 1860. His father had secured a land grant from the territorial government in 1850 to settle the Snyderville Basin. The Kimball Ranch was located twenty five miles from Salt Lake City. A large stone house was completed in 1862 and with the spacious barn, hay yard, and outbuildings, this would become William’s permanent home. Two of his wives, Melissa and Martha, joined him there and played a major role in the success of the operation. This became a lively operation and a center of sociability for locals and travelers. William’s businesses included ranching, freighting, stage and mail lines, postmaster, hotel proprietor, and an eating establishment. Kimball’s station was a stop for passengers traveling the Overland Stage between east and west. Three men of fame stayed and dined with William; namely, Samuel Clements (Mark Twain), Horace Greeley, and Walt Whitman. Clements said, “William Kimball was one of the finest gentlemen he had ever met.”  The food was famous including trout, wild duck, sage hen, beef mutton, and garden vegetables. When silver was discovered in 1867, business flourished with the miners and travel to and from Salt Lake City. His stage coach line earned him the nickname of “Old Stager”. William was given an award by Brigham Young for discovering the first coal mine near Coalville. As William entered his sixty’s he turned the stage and freighting operation over to his sons. The hotel and stage business slowed down with the coming of the railroad. Other business operators had moved into the Park City area. Melissa moved back to Salt Lake, but Martha who was much younger stayed on at the ranch. When William turned sixty five, he marred his fifth wife, Naomi Eliza Redden. She was thirty six years old and the daughter of Return Jackson and Eliza Naomi Murray Redden of Coalville. She had a daughter, Zoe, from a previous marriage to a man named Quirk. Naomi loved and cared for William until he died sixteen years later. William sold the Kimball Ranch in 1902 to Brigham Sellers who later sold it to the Bitner family who ran thousands of sheep. He moved to Coalville to end his days. A year before he passed away he injured his leg when a rope on his horse tangled around his leg. For a while he used a homemade harness to keep the leg from bending backwards but eventually, it had to be amputated. Naomi was an invalid as was as her daughter, so they cared for themselves as best they could with their personal challenges. The story is told, “as age stalked William in Coalville, one of his grand daughters took him back to see the dear old ranch and hotel, driving a span of horses that her grandfather had raised. When he reached a certain spot, he extended his hand with his old pride and enthusiasm and exclaimed, “At one time I could stand here and say, I owned this land as far as human eye can see on all sides. He told her he raised flax, wheat, sheep and cattle and lived like a king.” Williams health failed and he died on December 29, 1907 in Coalville, Utah at the age of eighty one years. His wife Naomi and stepdaughter, Zoe, were buried next to him. His headstone reads, General William H. Kimball. He will be remembered as an officer in the militia, cattleman, stage and freight line operator, handcart rescuer, missionary, and father of a great posterity. He fathered twenty four children with four wives. Wives and children are listed below: Mary Maurine Davenport Helen Vilate		March 13, 1845	       Nauvoo, Illinois Marian Anna		February 26, 1847	Florence, Nebraska Isabel Melvina		April 2, 1849		Salt Lake City, Utah John Henry		March 22, 1851	 	“ William Adelbert	April 2, 1853			“ Paralee			September 17, 1857		“ Heber Roswell		November 17, 1859	 	“ Victoria Maud		February 26, 1863	 	“

Melissa Burton ((William Coray	February 2, 1847	Monterey, L.A. California)) ((Melissa Coray	February 6, 1849	Salt Lake City, Utah)) Burton Shipley	October 6, 1852	Salt Lake City, Utah Ida Marie		October 14, 1854		“ Robert Taylor		September 15, 1857		“ Charles Martin	November 22, 1859 Ranch Stanley		Decmeber 25, 1861	Parley’s Park, Utah Ernest Lynn		March 8, 1866		 	“

Martha Jane Vance Edgar Vance		May 8, 1860		Salt Lake City, Utah Erminnie		1864			 	“ Roy Elmer		1865			Utah Frank Bruce		June 4, 1866 		Salt Lake City, Utah Edna			May 27, 1870		Utah Elizabeth Vance	1872				“ June 			1877				“ Hugh Walter		July, 1879			“

Lucy Amelia Pack Julia Aline		March 9, 1858		Salt Lake City, Utah

Naomi Eliza Redden ((Zoe Estelle Kimball	October 11, 1855	Hoytsville, Utah)) Ida Roy		January, 1882		Coalville, Utah