By Muriel Bristol | May 5, 2024
Ralph Mansur Kimball was born in Rochester, NH, August 29, 1859, son of Alvah M. and Annie M. (Hayes) Kimball.
Father Alvah M. Kimball died in Rochester, NH, July 2, 1869.
Ralph M. Kimball married in Berwick, ME, November 11, 1882, Miss Carrie Emma Willey, he of Milton, and she of Middleton, NH. John H. Stillings, Justice-of-the-Peace, performed the ceremony. She was born in Middleton, NH, September 10, 1866, daughter of Jonas D. and Abigail (Horne) Willey.
(The children of Ralph M. and Carrie E. (Willey) Kimball were Annie B. Kimball (1883-1925), and Ralph W. Kimball (1899-1981)).
Daughter Annie Blanche Kimball was born in Milton, November 24, 1883.
Ralph M. Kimball had a serious accident on Saturday, December 27, 1884, while working at the Milton Leatherboard Company. (The factory was new in that year).
MILTON, N.H. A Bad Accident. Last Saturday while Ralph Kimball was at work in the basement of Carricabe’s leather board mill in Milton, trying to regulate a belt, his coat caught in the set screw of a pulley and he was whirled round and round until every shred of clothing was torn from his body, including boots and stockings and he was dashed to the ground senseless. He, however, partially recovered his senses and crawled across the rough and icy ground and to the top of a flight of 19 stairs, where he was discovered working his way with his elbows. His body and arms were badly bruised and torn by the set screws, and the left leg broken above the ankle, the bones protruding, and mangled to the heel. In a short time he was taken home, and Dr. Wallace was in attendance with Dr. Scruton of Union who was telegraphed for. The leg was amputated and the bruises dressed. At last accounts he was as comfortable as could be expected and will recover, but it was a very narrow chance. He is 28 years old, has a wife and one child (Farmington News, January 2, 1885).
LOCALS. Ralph Kimball and family of Milton were guests of J.E. Hayes Sunday (Farmington News, February 21, 1890).
HERE AND THERE. At the morning services of the former church were present Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Kimball and their daughter of Milton, who were guests of James E. Hayes; and the Misses Joy, with friends, of New Durham. The Rev. Joseph Joy attended the Free Baptist church (Farmington News, March 10, 1893).
HERE AND THERE. Dr. M.A.H. Hart of the same [Milton] town, and Mr. Ralph Kimball, were in Farmington on Friday (Farmington News, November 15, 1895).
MILTON. Ralph M. Kimball, who has been quite ill during the past week, is now slowly recovering (Farmington News, May 13, 1898).
Son Ralph Phillip [Walter] Kimball was born in Milton, May 4, 1899. He was the second child. His father was a shoemaker. M.A.H. Hart, M.D., signed the birth certificate.
WEST MILTON. Mrs. Ralph Kimball of Milton has a son (Farmington News, May 5, 1899).
Ralph M. Kimball, a janitor, aged forty years (b. NH), headed a Milton (“Milton Village”) household at the time of the Twelfth (1900) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of seventeen years), Carrie E. [(Willey)] Kimball, aged thirty-three years (b. NH), and his children, Annie E. Kimball, at school, aged sixteen years (b. NH), and Ralph W. Kimball, aged zero years [one year] (b. NH). Ralph M. Kimball owned their house, with a mortgage. Carrie E. Kimball was the mother of two children, of whom two were still living. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Ruth Nutter, a home keeper, aged sixty-nine years (b. NH) and Mary F. Horne, a boarding house keeper, aged fifty-six years (b. NH).
Ralph M. Kimball’s widowed mother lived very close to his household in Milton. She was enumerated on the very same page (and likely on the same street) as them in the census. But there was also much visiting back and forth between them and Carrie E. (Willey) Kimballs’ parents in neighboring Middleton, NH.
MIDDLETON. Ralph Kimball and family of Milton have been visiting Mrs. Kimball’s parents, J.D. Willey and wife (Farmington News, July 20, 1900).
MILTON. Mrs. Ralph Kimball was in Rochester last week (Farmington News, July 27, 1900).
MILTON. Ralph Kimball and family have returned from Middleton where they have been spending a few days (December 7, 1900).
MIDDLETON. Mr. and Mrs. George Willey and children, and Mr. Ralph Kimball and family spent Thanksgiving with Mr. Jonas Willey (Farmington News, December 14, 1900).
MILTON. Mrs. Ralph Kimball and son Walter were in Rochester last Saturday (Farmington News, February 15, 1901).
PERSONAL. Mrs. Ralph Kimball of Milton has been a guest of friends in town for a short visit, this week (Farmington News, March 8, 1901).
It would seem that the wife might have given her cold or influenza to the husband (or vice versa).
MILTON. Mrs. Ralph Kimball is on the sick list (Farmington News, April 19, 1901).
MILTON. The many friends of Ralph Kimball will be glad to learn that he is improving (Farmington News, May 3, 1901).
MIDDLETON. Ralph Kimball of Milton, who has been ill, has been spending a few days in the family of James Willey (Farmington News, May 24, 1901).
MIDDLETON. Mrs. Ralph Kimball of Milton has been a guest of her parents during the past week (June 6, 1902).
Daughter Annie B. Kimball married in Milton, February 4, 1904, George L. Freeman, both of Milton. She was a lady, aged twenty years, and he was a civil engineer, aged twenty-three years. (Her father was a shoemaker). Rev. Myron P. Dickey performed the ceremony. Freeman was born in West Gray, ME, circa 1881, son of George H. and Georgia (Knapp) Freeman.
Freeman-Kimball. Cards have been received in this city announcing the marriage of George Leonard Freeman and Miss Annie Blanche Kimball, of Milton, N.H., which took place Thursday evening of this week. Mr. Freeman, while engaged in the survey of the electric road under Engineer H.K. Lincoln, made many friends in this city (St. Albans Daily Messenger (St. Albans, VT) February 6, 1904).
LOCAL. The marriage of Miss Annie B. Kimball of Milton to George L. Freeman, solemnized last Thursday by the Rev. M.P. Dickey, is attended by the good wishes and congratulations of many Farmington friends. The bride is connected with numerous families of this town, and is well known as a fine violin player. The groom, draughtsman for Contractor Ira W. Jones for several years, is spoken of in high terms. The young couple will continue to reside in Milton (Farmington News, February 12, 1904).
MARRIED. Milton, N.H. – Mr. George L. Freeman, formerly of West Gray, and Miss Annie B. Kimball (Lewiston Sun-Journal (Lewiston, ME), February 29, 1904).
Ralph M. Kimball seems to have visited with his daughter’s in-laws in the summer after the wedding.
MILTON. Mr. Ralph M. Kimball is in Gray, Me., for a week (Sanford Journal-Tribune (Biddeford, ME), August 10, 1906).
Ralph M. Kimball was elected a Trustee and auditor at the Congregational Church in 1907.
MILTON, N.H. At the meeting of the Congregational parish the following officers were elected: President, Dea. B.B. Plummer; clerk, Robert M. Looney; treasure, James M. Gage; trustee, B.B. Plummer, Ralph M. Kimball, James M. Gage; pulpit committee. Joseph H. Avery, Walter E. Looney, Ralph Kimball; auditing committee, Robert M. Looney, Ralph M. Kimball (Sanford Journal-Tribune (Biddeford, ME), March 29, 1907).
Ralph M. Kimball took his eight-year-old son, Ralph W. Kimball, to visit with the boy’s maternal grandparents in neighboring Middleton, NH.
MIDDLETON. Ralph Kimball and little son of Milton are guests of Mr. and Mrs. Jonas Willey (Farmington News, May 3, 1907).
Ralph M. Kimball engaged at this time in poultry farming and gardening in Milton. (Poultry farming was common in Milton).
MILTON. Ralph M. Kimball has recently re-set his incubator with thirty-two dozen eggs, which should hatch about the first week of March (Sanford Journal-Tribune (Biddeford, ME), February 26, 1909).
MILTON. Ralph Kimball took 142 chickens from his incubator last Thursday (Farmington News, March 12, 1909).
MILTON. Ralph M. Kimball is enlarging his poultry buildings, as he intends keeping a large number of hens this winter (Sanford Journal-Tribune (Biddeford, ME), October 8, 1909).
MILTON. Ralph Kimball has on exhibition two potatoes which he raised this year, one weighing two pounds and five ounces, the other two pounds six and one-half ounces. The length of each was nine inches (Sanford Journal-Tribune (Biddeford, ME), November 12, 1909).
Ralph M. Kimball, a farmer (hen farm), aged fifty years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of twenty-seven years), Carrie E. [(Willey)] Kimball, aged forty-three years (b. NH), his son, Walter Kimball, aged eleven years (b. NH), and his boarders, Grace E. Harwood, a teacher (town school), aged twenty-seven years (b. MA), Bessie A. Gushie, a teacher (town school), aged twenty-four years (b. MA), and Laura H. Williams, a teacher (town school), aged forty-one years (b. ME). Ralph M. Kimball owned their farm, free-and-clear. Carrie E. Kimball was the mother of two children, of whom two were still living. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Arthur Larochelle, a laster (shoe shop), aged twenty-nine years (b. Canada), and George A. Downs, a laborer (ice company), aged forty-three years (b. NH).
George L. Freeman, a civil engineer, aged twenty-nine years (b. ME), headed a Portland, ME, household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of six years), Annie B. [(Kimball)] Freeman, aged twenty-six years (b. NH), his children, Emily L. Freeman, aged four years (b. NH), and Alice K. Freeman, aged three years (b. PA), his grandmother [in-law], Annie M. [(Hayes)] Kimball, a widow, aged seventy-three years (b. NH), and his cousin [in-law], Morris D. Kimball, aged nineteen years (b. MA). George L. Freeman rented their house at 59 Bright Avenue. Annie B. Freeman was the mother of two children, of whom two were still living. Annie M. Kimball was the mother of four children, of whom two were still living.
Father-in-law Jonas D. Willey died of typhoid fever in Middleton, NH, July 12, 1910, aged seventy-four years, two months, and eight days. He was a married farmer. Charles C. Rogers, M.D., signed the death certificate.
MIDDLETON. After an illness of two weeks Jonas D. Willey passed away Tuesday morning, July 12, at his home in Middleton. Mr. Willey was born in New Durham, May 4, 1836, son of Charles and Abbie (Grace) Willey. About 52 years ago he was married to Miss Abbie Horne who survives him. Three children were born, Fitz, who died several years ago, Geo, H. of Newmarket, and Carrie, wife of Ralph Kimball of Milton. Mr. Willey is also survived by two brothers, Cyrus and Dana Willey, and one sister, Mrs. Augusta Walker, also by three grandchildren and great grandchildren. The funeral was held this Thursday at 1 p.m., Rev. Mr. Coleman officiating and B.F. Perkins in charge of arrangements. Interment in the family lot in Pine Grove cemetery. Mr. Willey was a good citizen and a kind obliging neighbor. He was well known in Farmington, having conducted a meat-cart business several years. (Farmington News, July 15, 1910).
MIDDLETON. Mrs. Ralph Kimball of Milton has been the week end guest of her mother, Mrs. Abbie Willey (Farmington News, July 28, 1911).
MILTON, N.H. Ralph Kimball’s horse has been lame the past week (Sanford Journal-Tribune (Biddeford, ME), August 25, 1911).
The Milton Selectmen of 1912 were B.B. Plummer, C.S. Philbrick, and R.M. Kimball.
MIDDLETON. Mrs. George Willey, who has been at her camp, returned to Newmarket, Sunday. Mr. Willey came in his auto and she returned with him. Mrs. Anny Willey is entertaining her two grandsons, Master Ralph Kimball of Milton and Master George Willey of Newmarket (Farmington News, July 19, 1912).
The Milton Selectmen of 1913 were C.S. Philbrick, R.M. Kimball, and B.B. Plummer.
MIDDLETON. Mrs. Jonas Willey, who has been home here for a few days, has returned to her daughter’s, Mrs. Ralph Kimball of Milton (Farmington New, May 23, 1913).
SOCIAL LIFE AND GOSSIP. Mr. and Mrs. George L. Freeman of Brighton avenue are receiving congratulations on the birth of a son, who has been named George Leonard Freeman, Jr. (Portland Sunday Telegram, August 24, 1913).
The Milton Selectmen of 1914 were C.S. Philbrick, R.M. Kimball, and G.E. Nute. The Milton Grammar School burnt to the ground during this year. (See Milton Grammar School Principals – 1893-14).
The Milton Selectmen of 1915 were R.M. Kimball, Forrest L. Marsh, and Fred B. Roberts.
PERSONAL. Ralph Kimball of Milton was a business visitor in town Monday (Farmington News, January 21, 1916).
Personal. Ralph Kimball of Milton was in town Tuesday (Farmington News, February 18, 1916).
Mother Annie M. (Hayes) Kimball died of chronic interstitial nephritis in Milton, December 10, 1917, aged eighty-one years, five months, and ten days. She was a widowed housekeeper. M.A.H. Hart, M.D., signed the death certificate.
Local. Mrs. Annie M. Kimball, aged 81, widow of George [Alvah] Kimball, died at her home in Milton Tuesday (Farmington News, December 14, 1917).
Mother-in-law Abigail (Horne) Willey died of gastric carcinoma in Newmarket, NH, January 26, 1919, aged seventy-six years, ten months, and eighteen days. She was a widowed housewife. George H. Towle, Jr., M.D., signed the death certificate.
Ralph M. Kimball, a laborer (leatherboard), aged sixty years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Fourteenth (1920) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Carrie E. [(Willey)] Kimball, aged fifty-three years (b. NH), and his son, R. Walter Kimball, aged twenty years (b. NH). Ralph M. Kimball owned their house on “Lower Main Street, Milton Village,” free-and-clear. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of George P. Boisvert, a section hand (Boston & Maine R.R.), aged sixty-two years (b. Canada), and Hervey E. Tanner, a carpenter (house), aged fifty-six years (b. NH).
Son Ralph W. Kimball married in Portsmouth, NH, September 12, 1921, Gladys M. Wingate, he of Milton and she of Rochester, NH. He was a chemist, aged twenty-two years, and she was at home, aged twenty-three years. Rev. Isaac Wigginbotham performed the ceremony. She was born in Rochester, NH, circa 1898, daughter of William H. and Mabel L. (French) Wingate.
Ralph M. Kimball died of chronic parenchymatous nephritis in Milton, February 16, 1922, aged sixty-two years, six months, and nineteen days. M.A.H. Hart, M.D., signed the death certificate. He was a married leatherboard mill employee, resident in Milton for fifty-two years, i.e., since circa 1869.
LOCAL. Ralph Kimball, aged 62 years, passed away at his home in Milton on February 17. He was a son of Albert [Alvah] and Annie (Hoyt) [(Hayes)] Kimball (Farmington News, March 3, 1922).
George L. Freeman, a civil engineer, aged forty-four years (b. US), headed a Mount Vernon, NY, household at the time of the NY State Census of [June 1,] 1925. His household included his wife, Annie B. [(Kimball)] Freeman, a houseworker, aged forty-one years (b. US), and his children, Emily L. Freeman, a student, aged nineteen years (b. US), Alice K. Freeman, at school, aged eighteen years (b. US), Barbara Freeman, at school, aged thirteen years (b. US), and George L. Freeman, at school, aged eleven years (b. US). They resided at 335 Rich Avenue.
Daughter Annie B. (Kimball) Freeman died in New York, NY, July 14, 1925, aged forty-one years.
Son-in-law George L. Freeman married (2nd) in Portland, ME, September 11, 1926, Ethelyn E. Coe, he of Mount Vernon, NY.
Carrie E. [(Willey)] Kimball was a cook, aged sixty-two years (b. NH), in the Concord, NH, household of John B. Jameson, a businessman (financial), aged fifty-six years (b. NH), at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. Jameson’s house was valued at $20,000, and he had two family servants, Rachel M. Doe, aged twenty-four years (b. NH) and his cook, Carrie M. Kimball.
George Freeman, a civil engineer (consulting engineer), aged forty-nine years (b. ME), headed a Mount Vernon, NY, household at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of three years), Ethelyn [(Coe)] Freeman, aged forty-six years (b. ME), his children, Emily Freeman, a secretary (diamond importers), aged twenty-four years (b. NH), Alice Freeman, an interior decorator (decorating firm), aged twenty-three years (b. PA), Barbara Freeman, aged eighteen years (b. ME), and George Freeman, aged sixteen years (b. ME), and his servant, Hilda Lundgren, a servant (private family), aged fifty-eight years (b. Sweden). George Freeman owned their house at 335 Rich Avenue, which was valued at $16,000. They had a radio set.
Ralph W. Kimball, a superintendent (counter factory), aged thirty years (b. NH), headed a Newburyport, MA, household at the time of the Fifteenth (1930) Federal Census, His household included his wife (of eight years), Gladys W. [(Wingate)] Kimball, aged thirty-two years (b. NH), his daughter, Elizabeth Kimball, aged seven years (b. NH), and his brother-in-law, Norman C. Wingate, a machinist (general machine shop), aged thirty years (b. NH). Ralph W. Kimball rented their house at 21 Summit Place, for $32 per month. They had a radio set.
Carrie [(Willey)] Kimball, aged seventy-three years, was a lodger in the Gaffney Home for the Aged, in Rochester, NH, at the time of the Seventeenth (1940) Federal Census. She had resided in the same place in 1935. The Gaffney Home had at that time seventeen residents, all aged women, a head, three helpers, and a nurse.
SOCIAL. The holiday season had brought a tidal wave of engagements to the county. Miss Jane Miller, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Miller, of Mount Vernon, is to become the wife of George L. Freeman, Jr., son of the George L. Freemans, also of Mount Vernon. Miss Miller is Chairman of the Juniors of the Westchester Woman’s Club. Mr. Freeman is a Syracuse graduate (Daily Item (Port Chester, NY),December 31, 1937).
George Freeman, a consulting engineer (engineering), aged fifty-nine years (b. ME), headed a Mount Vernon, NY, household at the time of the Sixteenth (1940) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Ethelyn [(Coe)] Freeman, aged fifty-six years (b. ME), and his maid, Esther E. Bergman, a maid (private family), aged thirty-one years. George Freeman owned their house at 335 Rich Avenue, which was valued at $12,000. They had all resided in the same house in 1935.
Ralph Walter Kimball, a superintendent (fibre factory), aged forty years (b. NH), headed a Rochester, NH, household at the time of the Sixteenth (1940) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Gladys W. [(Wingate)] Kimball, aged forty-two years (b. NH), and his daughter, Elizabeth Kimball, aged eighteen years (b. NH). Ralph Walter Kimball owned their house at 6 Haskell Street, which was valued at $2,800. They had all resided in the same house in 1935.
Carrie E. (Willey) Kimball died of colon carcinoma in the Gaffney Home in Rochester, NH, November 21, 1949, aged eighty-three years. She was a widowed housewife. Charles E. Moors, M.D., signed the death certificate.
George W. Freeman, a consultant engineer (foundations), aged sixty-nine years (b. ME), headed a Mount Vernon, NY, household at the time of the Seventeenth (1950) Federal Census. His household included his wife, [Ethelyn (Coe)] Freeman, aged sixty-six years (b. ME), his daughter, Alice [(Freeman)] Muchnic, aged forty-three years (b. PA), his granddaughter, Barbara L. Muchnic, aged eight years (b. ME), and his maid, Esther Bergman, aged fifty-two years (b. Sweden). They resided at 335 Rich Avenue.
Ralph W. Kimball, a superintendent (shoe findings), aged fifty years (b. NH), headed a Rochester, NH, household at the time of the Seventeenth (1950) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Gladys W. [(Wingate)] Kimball, aged fifty-two years (b. NH), and his daughter, Elizabeth Kimball, a bookkeeper (gas co.), aged twenty-seven years (b. NH). They resided at 6 Haskell Street.
Son-in-law George L. Freeman died in Portland, ME, July 12, 1965, aged eighty-four years.
G.L. Freeman, Sr., Noted Engineer, Dead At 84. WEST GRAY (AP) – George L. Freeman Sr., 84, a prominent consultant engineer who designed most of the construction for the 1939 Worlds Fair in New York died Monday. Freeman also helped design some of the most famous bridges in the United States, including the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges in San Francisco, the Huey Long Bridge in New Orleans and the Triboro Bridge in New York City. A native of West Gray, Freeman graduated from the University of Maine in 1903. He worked for a Portland engineering firm and helped design the S.D. Warren Co. chemical plant in Westbrook. Before his retirement in 1950, Freeman was vice president and chief engineer for Moran, Proctor and Freeman Co., New York City consultants. Survivors include a son, George Jr., Portland; three daughters, Mrs. Emily Sanford and Mrs. Alice Muchnic, both of Mount Vernon, N.Y, and Mrs. Barbara Miller Jones, Sierra Madre, Calif. The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Gray Congregational Church (Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME), July 13, 1965).
Ralph W. Kimball died November 17, 1981. Gladys (Wingate) Kimball died in 1995, aged ninety-seven years.
References:
Find a Grave. (2021, August 8). Annie B. Kimball Freeman. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/230496248/annie-b-freeman
Find a Grave. (2013, October 3). George L. Freeman. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/118096632/george-l-freeman
Find a Grave. (2016, August 23). Alvah Mansur Kimball. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/168840407/alvah-mansur-kimball
Find a Grave. (2021, August 8). Annie M. Hayes Kimball. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/230496221/annie-m-kimball
Find a Grave. (2021, August 8). Ralph M. Kimball. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/230496155/ralph-m-kimball
Find a Grave. (2021, August 8). Ralph Walter Kimball. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/230495492/ralph-walter-kimball
Find a Grave. (2016, December 14). Jonas D. Willey. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/173930992/jonas-durgin-willey
Milton Observer 