Content preview - You need a premium account to view this content.

Appendix I

Ancestry of Heber Chase Kimball

(The following is from the pen of Solomon F. Kimball, son of Heber C. and Vilate Kimball.)

Soon after Heber C. Kimball joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, his father's family became so embittered towards him, on that account, that he was unable to secure from them anything that would lead to the discovery of his ancestry, placing him in the humiliating position of not even knowing the name of his grandfather. He was so disturbed in his mind over this condition of things that he could hardly contain himself. This was especially so after the Prophet Joseph Smith's inspired address on vicarious work for the dead had been given.

As soon as the Nauvoo Temple was completed he officiated in that holy edifice for seven of his deceased relatives, including his parents, but at this point the work for his kindred dead ceased for want of more names.

In 1853, he employed a genealogist by the name of Kane to visit his relatives in the East for the purpose of obtaining records that would enable him to learn of his grandfather, and then to continue the search along ancestral lines as far back as possible.

In the course of a year, Mr. Kane reported to President Kimball that he was unable to get access to his father's family Bible, in possession of his sister Eliza, consequently he received no aid from that source. However, he had come into possession of other material which, he claimed, proved that the Kimball family were of Scotch descent, and that their ancient name was Campbell instead of Kimball. President Kimball, having implicit confidence in Mr. Kane's genealogical ability, joyfully accepted his report, and the Scottish idea of Campbell prevailed among the Kimball family of Utah for more than forty years afterwards, when this theory was proved untrue.

It is interesting to note how the minds of men outside of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are moved upon by unseen powers, and unwittingly made to assist those who are trying to observe the commandment to seek after and do work for the dead. In 1887 (nineteen years after President Kimball's death) a glorious spirit seemed to permeate the minds of the whole family, stirring them to action. That same year not less than four hundred of his descendants gathered at Fuller's Hill Gardens, in Salt Lake City, and such a time of rejoicing as was experienced on that occasion is seldom witnessed. Those present were inspired by unseen powers, and they partook of the prophet's declaration:

"Glad tidings for the dead; a voice of gladness for the living and the dead; glad tidings of great joy. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of good things; and that say unto Zion, behold! thy God reigneth. As the dews of Carmel, so shall the knowledge of God descend upon them."

Strange to say, the same year that the Kimball family met at Fuller's Hill Gardens, Professor L. A. Morrison, of Windham, New Hampshire, whose mother was a Kimball, and Professor S. P. Sharples of Boston, Mass., whose wife was a Kimball, at about the same time and unknown to each other, both commenced work on a genealogical history of the Kimball family of America. Both of these expert genealogists continued their labors for seven years before they became acquainted with each other. After that they became co-workers and co-editors for three more years, when they had completed one of the most perfect genealogical works published up to that time in the United States. It contains 1,278 pages, and the names of 17,000 of Heber C. Kimball's ancestors. They made the remarkable discovery that all of the Kimballs of America were descendants of two brothers, Richard and Henry, who came from Rattlesden, Suffolk County, England, to America, in 1634, on the ship "Elizabeth." They visited the old Kimball homes in that part of England and traced the family name back for 500 years. The wealthy Kimballs of the United States furnished the means to carry this enterprise through, amounting to thousands of dollars.