Heber C. Kimball

Heber Chase Kimball (June 14, 1801 – June 22, 1868) (commonly known as Heber C. Kimball) was a leader in the early Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served as one of the original twelve apostles in the early Mormon church, and as first counselor to Brigham Young in the presidency of the church from 1847-1868.

Early life

Heber Chase Kimball was born June 14, 1801 to Solomon Farnham Kimball and Anna Spaulding in Sheldon, Franklin County, Vermont. Kimball's grandfather arrived in America from England, and assisted in the Revolutionary War. His immediate family consisted of Charles Spaulding Kimball, Eliza Kimball, Abigail Kimball, Heber Chase Kimball, Melvina Kimball, Solomon Kimball and Daniel Spaulding Kimball. All were born in Sheldon. Daniel died at the age of seven months. Heber Chase was named after a judge named Chase, who had taken his father under his wing and helped the family in the area.

Related Topics:
June 14 - 1801 - Sheldon - Franklin County, Vermont - Revolutionary War

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Kimball writes of his parents in Synopsis of the History of Heber C. Kimball:

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:My father was a man of good moral character, and though he did not profess any religion, he taught his children good morals, and never would suffer them to swear, or play upon the Sabbath day without correcting them, but would have them remain at home and read good books or attend the church.

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:My mother was a Presbyterian, and agreeably to the strictest sense of their religion, she lived a virtuous life, and according to the best of her knowledge taught her children the ways of righteousness.

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Solomon Kimball suffered the loss of his investments due to the embargo preceding the War of 1812. He left Vermont and moved west and eventually settled the family in West Bloomfield, New York, Ontario County, New York around 1811.

Related Topics:
War of 1812 - West Bloomfield, New York - Ontario County, New York - 1811

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Education and training

Kimball began attending school in 1806, and continued until the age of 14. At that time, his father took him from school and taught him how to be a blacksmith. The year 1816 was particularly cold and he recorded that the family ate boiled milkweeds for three weeks. (See Year Without a Summer for an explanation.)

Related Topics:
1806 - 1816 - Year Without a Summer

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Around 1820, Heber set out on his own. His father had lost all of his property and Heber decided it was best to start making it on his own. His manner was timid and shy, and he would go for days without food rather than ask a neighbor. Eventually, his oldest brother, Charles C., took him under his wing. He taught Kimball the potter's trade. About this time he moved with his brother to Mendon, Munroe County, New York. He also enlisted with the local militia, and was never delinquent for 14 years. On November 7, 1822, he married Vilate Murray. Shortly after that, he purchased his brother's pottery business.

Related Topics:
1820 - Mendon - Munroe County, New York - November 7 - 1822 - Pottery

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For ten years he worked as a potter in the summer, and as a blacksmith in the winter. He also chopped wood and cleared land. In the meantime, he accumulated five and a half acres (22,000 m²) of land, built a house and a barn, and planted an orchard.

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Masonry

In 1823, Kimball received the three first degrees of Freemasonry in the lodge at Victor Flats, Ontario County, New York. In 1824, he and five others sent a petition to the chapter at Canandaigua, New York to receive the degrees up to the Royal Arch Masons. Their petitions were accepted. Unfortunately, anti-masons had burned down the chapter building in Canandaigua.

Related Topics:
1823 - Freemason - Victor Flats - Ontario County, New York - 1824 - Canandaigua, New York

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Heber C. Kimball wrote of masonry:

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:No man was admitted into a lodge in those days except he bore a good moral character, and was a man of steady habits and a member would be suspended for immoral conduct. I wish that all men were masons and would live up to their profession, then the world would be in a much better state than it is now.

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Early family life

Kimball's first daughter, Judith Marvin, was born in Mendon on July 29, 1823. Their joy was brief; she died May 20, 1824 at almost 11 months of age.

Related Topics:
July 29 - 1823 - May 20 - 1824

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His mother passed away in February 1824 from consumption. His father moved from West Bloomfield to Mendon to live with Kimball. Roughly a year after that, in the spring of 1826, his father died from consumption as well. Shortly after that, his oldest brother, Charles C., and his brother's wife died from consumption as well and were buried beside their father.

Related Topics:
1824 - Consumption - 1826

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Kimball's son, William Henry, was born in Mendon, April 10, 1825.

Related Topics:
April 10 - 1825

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Signs in the heavens

Kimball claims a miraculous event on September 22, 1827. He describes it in his autobiography.

Related Topics:
September 22 - 1827

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:Sept. 22, 1827, while living in the town of Mendon, I having retired to bed, John P. Greene, a traveling reformed Methodist preacher, waked me up calling upon me to behold the scenery in the heavens.

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:I called my wife and sister Fanny Young (sister of Brigham Young) who was living with me; it was so clear that you could see to pick up a pin, we looked to the eastern horizon and beheld a white smoke arise towards the heavens, and as it ascended it formed itself into a belt and made a noise like the rustling of a mighty wind, and continued southwest, forming a regular bow dipping in the western horizon.

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:After the bow had formed it began to widen out and grow clear and transparent of a bluish cast, it grew wide enough to contain twelve men abreast.

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:In this bow an army moved, commencing from the east and marching to the west. They moved in platoons, and walked so close, the rear ranks trod in the steps of their file leaders, until the whole bow was literally crowded with soldiers.

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:We could see distinctly the muskets, bayonets, and knapsacks of the men, who wore caps and feathers like those used by the American soldiers in the last war with Britain; also their officers with their swords and equipage, and heard the clashing and jingling of their instruments of war and could discover the form and features of the men. The most profound order existed throughout the entire army, when the foremost man stepped, every man stepped at the same time: I could hear the step.

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:When the front rank reached the Western horizon a battle ensued, as we could distinctly hear the report of the arms and the rush.

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:No man could judge of my feelings when I beheld that army of men, as plainly as I ever saw armies of men in the flesh it seemed as though every hair of my head was alive. This scenery was gazed upon for hours, until it began to disappear.

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:Subsequently I learned this took place the same evening that Joseph Smith received the records of the Book of Mormon from the Angel Moroni.

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Kimball had two more children after this event. Hellen Mar was born August 22, 1828. Roswell Heber was born January 10, 1831. He died six months later on June 15.

Related Topics:
August 22 - 1828 - January 10 - 1831 - June 15

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