Yuba County
Biographies
GEORGE H. KIMBALL
A half century or so ago teaching,
outside of the higher institutions of learning, was scarcely a recognized
calling; but the rapid advance of education in every part of our fair land, and
the development and improvement of educational methods, have wrought a great change
and the teacher's calling, in whatever grade he may be placed, has been raised
to the dignity of a true profession, and to one of the highest and most useful
known. Especially qualified for his present active career by reason of his
broad learning, rare patience, ready sympathy, wise discretion, and good
executive ability, George H. Kimball is very successfully filling his present
position as principal of the Yuba City grammar school, in Sutter county. Of pioneer ancestry, he was born in Sutter county, California, August 3, 1858, a son of John H.
Kimball. He comes of good old New England stock, his paternal grandfather,
Thomas Kimball, having been for many years a most respected and esteemed
resident of Maine.
Born and reared in Cornish, Maine,
John H. Kimball remained beneath the parental roof until about twenty years
old, when he went to New Bedford, Mass., where he lived and
worked for three years. Sailing from New York City in 1853, he came by
way of the Isthmus of Panama to California. Locating at Marysville, then the
head of navigation, he was there established as a teamster for four years.
Having accumulated a goodly sum of money in this business he bought a tract of
land in Sutter county, it being the ranch now owned by William Sanders, and
embarked in general farming, including grain and stock raising. As time passed
on he bought other land, becoming owner of eleven hundred acres, and continued
his operations with ever increasing success until 1900, when he disposed of his
estate, and has since lived practically retired from active pursuits on a ranch
near his original place, having secured a fine property for himself, and for
each of his children. John H. Kimball married Thankful Spooner, who was born in
Mass., a daughter of Nathan Spooner and granddaughter of Jonathan Spooner, the
descendant of an old colonial family of Massachusetts. Nathan Spooner was born
and reared in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and after his marriage with Hannah
Cummings came to California with his family. He was accidentally killed in a
mining accident, at the age of fifty-six years. His widow survived him, passing
away at the age of seventy-two years.
Bought up in Sutter county, George H. Kimball laid the foundation for his future
education in the common schools, and in 1877 was graduated from the Methodist
Episcopal College in Napa, Cal. He at
once began his professional career as a teacher and has followed his chosen
vocation continuously ever since, teaching in Sutter and Nevada counties. He
has served as principal of the Gaither, Grant, and Murry
schools, and for the past seven years has had charge
of the Yuba City grammar school, which has an average attendance of two hundred
pupils, and is recognized as one of the best schools of its grade in the
county. Mr. Kimball is also interested in agriculture and horticulture, being
owner of a quarter section of land in Sutter county,
which he devotes mostly to the raising of grain, although he pays some
attention to the culture of fruit, having ten acres set out with almond and
peach trees. For twelve years he was a member of the Sutter county board
of education, and for six years of the time served as its president.
Mr. Kimball married Maria Allen, who
was born in New Bedford, Mass., a daughter of Lorenzo T. Allen, now a resident
of Butte county, Cal. Six children were born of their union, namely: Mabel, a
teacher; Gertrude, who died in infancy; Allen; Reginald; Leslie; and Kenneth.
Mr. Kimball belongs to the Masonic fraternity and both he and Mrs. Kimball are
members of the Order of the Eastern Star.
Transcribed by
Sally Kaleta.
Source: “History of the State of
California and Biographical Record of the Sacramento Valley,
California” by J. M. Guinn. Pages 266-269.
Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1906.
© 2014 Sally Kaleta.
Golden Nugget
Library's Yuba County Biographies