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Herbert and Beatrice Kimball Collection

 Collection
Identifier: FMS-134

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of materials gathered by Herbert and Beatrice Kimball concerning mission work in Kenya and other regions of the world.  Beatrice Kimball researched in Quaker publications and other materials available in the Friends Collection and College Archives, and the results of her work form the foundation of this collection. Materials include correspondence, papers, obituaries, research notes by Beatrice Kimball, lectures, reports, and other related items. The collection is divided into six series. Series I is titled Africa and includes subseries on East Africa, missionary workers and missionary workers in Kenya. The missionary worker files include articles written by and about missionaries, genealogical and biographical information researched by Beatrice Kimball, obituaries, reports, pamphlets, and some correspondence. Kenya materials are located both in the East Africa and Kenya subseries.  Within the Kenya subseries, other African countries such as Uganda are mentioned. Series II contains photographs of various conferences, missionaries, people, events, and buildings. Series III is titled Friends in the USA and Abroad. These files primarily include information on worldwide missionary teachers and are arranged alphabetically. They include articles written by and about the missionaries. Genealogical and biographical information is included. Some of the files are topical in nature and there is more material on Kenya. There may be some overlap between Series III and Series I, Africa. Series IV includes correspondence and reports from various Friends activities including meetings, conferences, and educational endeavors. Series V is Publications and for the most part is filed alphabetically by publication or author in each box. Series VI is titled Friends United Meeting Triennial conferences, and includes photographs from meetings.

Dates

  • 1902-2000

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open without restriction.

Conditions Governing Use

Some materials may be protected by copyright. Permission to reproduce and to publish for commercial purposes must be requested from the Archivist.

Biographical or Historical Information

Herbert R. Kimball was a native of Minnesota, born January 9, 1919, the son of Frederick and Susie (White) Kimball. He grew up on a farm near Baudette.  Reared in the Congregational Christian Church, when the U.S. entered World War II he declared himself a conscientious objector.  From 1942 to 1946, he was in Civilian Public Service camps in Michigan, Indiana, and Florida.  In 1948 he entered Earlham College.  After one year, he transferred to Boston University, where he received the Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree in 1951. On May 20, 1950, Kimball married Beatrice Moorhead. She was a native of Eureka, California, born Feb. 26, 1922, the daughter of John and Alice (Kester) Moorhead. A graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, she did further work in religious education at Boston, receiving her degree in 1950.  After he completed his work in Boston, he began work as a Methodist pastor in North Carolina, drawn there because of a desire to advance racial understanding.  He found himself theologically at odds with his bishop because of antipathy to creeds, however, so in 1952 he became the pastor of the Friends meeting in Farmington New York.  He was recorded a minister by New York Yearly Meeting of Friends in 1953. In 1954, they accepted an appointment to Kaimosi, Kenya, to the staff of Friends Bible Institute, now Friends Theological College there.  He served as principal and Bea was a teacher for seven years.  They subsequently served in pastorates in Friends meetings in Maine, North Carolina, New York, and Indiana.  Both were active in Quaker affairs, regularly attending conferences and serving on boards, commissions, and committees of New England, New York, North Carolina, Indiana, and Western Yearly Meetings as well as the Five Years Meeting of Friends, now Friends United Meeting. After retiring from their last pastorate, at Hopewell Meeting near Dana, Indiana, in 1988, the Kimballs retired to Richmond, Indiana.  While in Richmond, Bea gave considerable time to research on Quaker history, especially the history of Friends in Africa.  In 2003 the Kimballs moved to Canandaigua, New York, near their first pastorate at Farmington.  There he died October 18, 2007

Note written by

Extent

22 Boxes

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Beatrice and Herbert R. Kimball papers, relating to missionary work in Kenya, Uganda, and other countries. Includes correspondence, biographical information, reports, meeting minutes, and other items.

Technical Access Requirements

The collection has a number of photographs in various series.

Method of Acquisition

Donation

Accruals and Additions

There may be occasional small accruals; last addition was December 2008.

Title
Archon Finding Aid Title
Author
Anne Thomason
Description rules
Other Unmapped
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
und

Repository Details

Part of the Friends Collection and Earlham College Archives Repository

Contact:
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