John Kimball, son of Henry, was born at Watertown, MA, 25 December 1645. His mother was Mary Riddlesdale, step-daughter of John Wyatt. (She went by the name, Mary Wyatt, before her marriage.) John Kimball was one of thirteen children. His siblings were: Mary, Richard, Caleb, Dorcus, Abigail, Sarah, Henry, Mehitable. Benjamin, Joseph, Martha, and Deborah.
When sixteen years
of age, John went to live with his step-grandfather, John Wyatt, of Ipswich, MA,
where he remained until John Wyatt died in December 1665 and was heir to John
Wyatt by will, upon fulfilling certain conditions, such as providing firewood
for John Wyatt's widow, etc.
John Kimball did not remain in Ipswich long, as
he sold this property 25 March 1667 and moved to Newbury, MA, where he was
living 17 June 1668. His residency in Newbury before 1700 qualifies him as an
original settler of Newburyport, MA, even though he moved on to Amesbury about
1669 where he remained the rest of his life.
It was in Ambsbury, where he
became involved in the Salem witch trials. On 16 May 1692, John made two
deposition in the Susanna Martin trial. His statement begins:" That about 23
years ago, this depositioner, being about to remove from Newbury to
Amesbury.......(See Narratives of the Witchcraft Cases 1648-1706, 1985, by
George Lincoln Burr, pp 232-234)............".
John Kimball married 8 October
1665/1666 in Ipswich, Mary Jordon, daughter of Francis and Jane (Wilson) Jordon.
They were the parents of nine children:Mary, John, Abigail, John again,
Benjamin, Deborah, Hannah, Joseph, and Abraham. Deborah, their sixth child,
married Barnes Prowse, and lived in Amesbury.
John Kimball, a yoeman and
wheelwright, took the "oath of allegiance" 20 December 1677, and was made a
freeman in 1690. He was called "Sergeant" in the training band, which was a
local militia for mutual protection. Mary (Jordon) Kimball died around 1712. He
married a widow, Deborah (Weed) Bartlett, in April 1715. Deborah was listed as
John's widow in his will.
John died 12 October 1723 at Amesbury.
Administration of his estate was granted to his son, John Kimball, 6 June
1726.
Submitted by: Submitted by Lora B. Tindall
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Last Updated February 26, 2005