Volume 5, Number 5 - Fall 1974


Biographical Sketch of B. F. Kimberling
by Benjamin Franklin Kimberling

My grandfather, James Kimberling, was a native of Germany, lived to the age of 73. Died in Stone County, Missouri.

My grandfather Pinnell was a native of England. Served six (6) years in the Revolution in behalf of the American Colonists. Died at the age of 95 in Crawford County, Missouri.

My parents were born in Kentucky. My father, James, in 1806 my mother, Pinnell, in 1808. They were married at the ages of 18 and 16 respectively in 1824.

Migrated to southwest Missouri in 1831, where the writer was born in 1835. I started across the plains with ox teams, April 16th, 1856. Crossed the Sier-Nevada mountains on foot without food in August of the same year.

Mined near Park’s bar until March, 1858. Freighted with ox-teams to Nevada City during the summer of 1858, went to Colusa County that winter and worked on Stock Ranch up to Farmington, San Joaquin County. Was married to Eliza Copeland, December 16th, 1861. Followed farming until 1864. Moved to Oregon and wintered, returned in August, 1865. Worked at Blacksmithing until 74, then moved to Stanislaus river and located where I remained up the present, July 5, 1903.

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More Kimberlings: B. F. and W. B. by Mrs. W. B. Kimberling

Mrs. W. B. Kimberling, 249 E. Gibson St. Stockton, California sent the following information she has found concerning her husband’s family..."during the great trek to the gold rush country of Califormia during 1850’s, my husband’s grandfather, Benjamin Franklin Kimberling, as a young man in 1858 came across the plains to California from Missouri. He had several brothers and sisters one of whom was Henry Clay who traveled to Texas a approximately the same time that Benjamin came to California. Henry Clay’s descendants live in Longview, Texas.

Benjamin Franklin was the grandson of Peter Pinnell and Nancy Yarber and of James Kimberling Sr., and wife (name unknown), all of Missouri.

Peter Pinnell’s daughter, Phoebe Jane, married James Kimberling, Jr., son of James Sr., in 1824 in Missouri. Their son, Benjamin Franklin, married Eliza Copeland, native of Missouri in California in 1861. They had 8 children, 11 born and died in California. One of the 8 was Copp Kimberling, father of my husband, Benjamin.

I am endeavoring to collect information on Kimberlings who lived in Missouri in the 1800’s.

Mrs. Kimberling sent a copy of a biographical sketch of Benjamin Franklin Kimberling prepared by him in 1903. You will find a reprint of it on another page of the Quarterly.

Mrs. Kimberling also added on the back of the page this information: "Peter Pinnell died, age 95 in Crawford Co., Mo., wife unknown they had one son living at home in year 1830.

James Kimberling be 1806-in? Pinnell b 1808. m in 1824 in Ken., migrated to Missouri, 1835. Their children were Benjamin Franklin b 1835 in Mo. Henry Clay b 1837 in Mo. Mary J. b. 1839 in Mo. and Madison F. b 1843 in Mo. from Census of Green Co., Mo. 1850. Henry Clay Kimberling migrated to Texas. His granddaughters, 3, living in Texas, daughters of Elmer Kimberling; great grand daughter, married, living in Texas, a great great grand daughter in Texas. Benjamin Franklin Kimberling, migrated to California, he had 8 children, 12 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren, and 17 great, great grandchildren.

William Benjamin Kimberling is a son of Copp Kimberling b in Cal., in 1875, and grandson of Benj. Franklin Kimberling b 1835 in Mo.

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