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Frank A. Kimball

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Frank A. Kimball
A black-and-white portrait photo of a mustached Kimball wearing a suit and bow tie
Kimball, c. 1897
Born
Francis Augustus Kimball

(1832-01-26)January 26, 1832
Hopkinton, New Hampshire, U.S.
DiedAugust 11, 1913(1913-08-11) (aged 81)
National City, California, U.S.
Resting placeLa Vista Memorial Park, National City, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Businessman, horticulturalist
Spouse
Sarah Kimball
​
(m. 1857)​
[1]

Francis Augustus Kimball (January 26, 1832 – August 11, 1913) was an American businessman and horticulturalist.[2]: 1  He is often associated with bringing the railroad to San Diego Bay, though he was also a prominent horticulturist and businessman, involved in developing the Mission olive industry.[3]: 3 [4] He helped promote new entrepreneurs and philanthropically donated land for cemeteries, schools, and churches.[5][2] He was generally associated with the founding and continued success of National City, California.[5][6]

Early life and career before California

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Kimball was born in Hopkinton, New Hampshire, on January 26, 1832.[7][3][5] His parents were Asa Kimball[a] and Hanna Little.[8] He began his career as a businessman when he opened a merchandise store. However, with the Panic of 1857, he fell into debt, which drove him to take out a loan and travel westward.[9]

Life in California

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San Francisco Bay Area

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In 1861, Kimball moved to San Francisco.[7] In December 1862, Kimball's wife came to San Francisco aboard the Orizaba.[10] In San Francisco, Kimball and his brothers began carpentry work, and were able to send money back to New Hampshire to pay off his debts there.[9] Operating in Oakland as Kimball Brothers, they later moved to southern California, to the area that would become National City. Frank's brother, Levi Kimball, became a partner of Kimball Brothers briefly in National City, then returned to Oakland with his wife.[5] In 1867, Frank Kimball was diagnosed with a lung disease and told to relocate to a place with a warmer and drier climate.[7]

National City

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Arrival in San Diego

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Frank Kimball House

Kimball arrived in San Diego, California, on June 1, 1868.[11] He had purchased the Rancho de la Nación on June 15 for $30,000, but due to an error on the deed the sale from François Louis Pioche was only finalized on June 18.[12][13][14] At the time of purchase, no one resided on the lands of the rancho.[15][b] The Kimball House was built in August-September 1868 and became the first house in National City.[18] That same year Kimball had a hand in the founding of the San Diego Union newspaper.[19]

Agricultural industry

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Kimball promoted fruit cultivation in National City, which led others to plant fruit elsewhere in San Diego County.[20] In 1869, Kimball received Mission olive tree cuttings from Mission San Diego de Alcalá in the San Diego River valley. By 1872, his cuttings had begun to bloom.[3]: 4  He would later get Mission olive tree cuttings from Mission San Luis Rey de Francia and Las Flores Estancia.[3]: 5, 6  In 1873, Kimball began to raise sheep.[3]: 5  In 1876, he planted the first eucalyptus in San Diego County.[2]: 1  In 1879, Kimball received French olive trees from the government, and planted them.[3]: 7  He also grew grapes and citrus crops,[9] including a variety of lemon which he developed, known as the Agnes.[21] Another orchard which Kimball grew was White Pearmain, an apple cultivar, which originated from a sapling from New Hampshire.[22] In addition to the White Pearmain orchard, Kimball grew Ben Davis apples.[23]

In 1880, Kimball was among those who helped organize the first San Diego County Fair.[24][25] He would eventually grow more foreign olive cultivars, including the Cornicabra.[3]: 8, 9  By 1883, Kimball's olive grove was 5,000 trees strong.[3]: 10  In 1884, he traveled to Philadelphia, and in 1885 to New Orleans, to advertise his productive horticulture business.[9] At the end of 1886, an olive oil mill was constructed; oil from Kimball's mill competed with the olive oil produced by Elwood Cooper of Santa Barbara, who had previously been the only domestic olive oil producer in the nation.[3]: 9, 10 

Building National City

As the new owner of the Rancho de la Nación parcel, Kimball's home was the first house in National City. Frank Kimball's sister Mary was married to Fred Copeland, who was a civil engineer. Mary and Fred moved to National City in 1869 and Fred eventually served the county as City Engineer, Surveyor, Deputy Surveyor, and Deputy Assessor. He had the final say for the layout of the city streets. In 1870, shortly after their arrival, one of the first settlers, Mrs. Wincapaw passed away. Kimball established La Vista Memorial Park as a community cemetery. A later aerial view of the park found that the foliage had been planted in what appears to be the shape of a harp.[2]

Expanding into railways

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Brick Row, A Avenue between 9th and 10th Streets, National City

In 1870, Kimball attempted to lure the Texas and Pacific Railway into building a Pacific terminus (final stop) for their transcontinental railroad in National City, without success;[26] this failure was partly due to the efforts of the Central Pacific Railroad.[19] A decade later, in 1880, Kimball traveled to Boston and was able to secure a deal with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway to build a transcontinental rail terminus in National City in exchange for him giving the railroad 16,000 acres (65 km2).[26]: 191  To accomplish this goal, the railway established the California Southern Railroad as a subsidiary.[26][27] In 1887, Kimball funded the building of the Brick Row to house individuals connected to the Santa Fe Railway.[2]: 3 [14] As a result of this, the railroad funded the construction of Sweetwater Dam in 1888, which secured Kimball and the rest of National City a reliable water source.[28]

The Sweetwater Dam Played a significant role in the early development of National City. The Sweetwater Dam is a dam across the Sweetwater River in San Diego County, California. The dam was a part of a larger resource system designed to provide water for growing crops along the coast to supply San Diego and its surrounding communities.  Frank A. Kimball, one of the area's early settlers, first proposed building a dam on the stretch of Sweetwater River in 1869.  Later, the importance of the dam became even more evident. During the winter of 1915 Southern California faced a severe drought that had drained local reservoirs to record lows after more than three years of little to no rain. This crisis cost significant losses for both agriculture and ranching, highlighting the critical need for reliable water and fractures like the Sweetwater Dam. As the Sweetwater Dam became a lifeline for the community during challenging times like the 1915 drought. The damn ability to provide water for crops and livestock showed its importance and obtaining both economy and daily life.

Other ventures

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In 1880, the Kimball brothers purchased half of Rancho Janal. In 1887, Kimball purchased the portion of Rancho Janal owned by his brother Warren. His Rancho Janal holdings were lost along with his other property.[29]

In 1889, Kimball wrote a family history of José Antonio Estudillo.[30] That same year Kimball was appointed commissioner of the State Board of Horticulture; in that role he lobbied for the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act.[3]: 15  [6] Also in 1889, Kimball invested in the creation of the Otay Watch Company; when its factory was completed in Otay (now in Chula Vista) it was the only watch manufacturer in the United States west of the Mississippi River.[31] In April 1891, at their Victorian-style home, Kimball and his wife hosted the presidential party of President Benjamin Harrison, which included Secretary Jeremiah M. Rusk and Ulysses S. Grant Jr.[32]: 4 [33] In 1893, Kimball received a bronze medal for his olive oil exhibit at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago;[24] at the exposition he also displayed pickled and dried olives.[34]

Falling into debt

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At one point, Kimball was considered the wealthiest man in all of San Diego County.[32]: 2  In 1893, he fell into debt again.[2]: 1  In 1894 all his property, and remaining debt, were purchased by Ralph Granger.[2]: 2  Still civically minded, Kimball and his brother Warren helped found the public library of National City, through their donation of 750 books from their personal collections.[35] In 1901, Kimball's holdings in the Otay Watch Company were sold, and the watch company's equipment was shipped to Japan.[36] In 1904, he was paid to travel to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, where he hosted an exhibit on the agriculture of San Diego.[24] By 1905, he had financially recovered and returned to selling olive oil and pickled olives.[2]: 2  He also shipped the first oranges from National City.[37]

Personal life

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Kimball became a Mason when he joined a lodge in New Hampshire.[38]

On April 19, 1857, he married Sarah Currier.[8] They had no children. He had three brothers, George Little Kimball, Levi Woodbury Kimball, and Warren Carlton Kimball.[39][1]

In 1882, Kimball joined the congregation of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in National City;[40] he donated the land the church was built upon.[2]: 5  Kimball was also a founding member of the South West Masonic Lodge No. 283 in National City. He was elected chairman at its first meeting on September 15, 1886. His nephew, Augustus B. Kimball, son of Frank's brother George, was also involved in the lodge.[41] On August 11, 1913, Frank A. Kimball died and on August 13, was buried at La Vista Memorial Park on the outskirts of National City, alongside many other members of the Kimball family.[11][42]

Legacy

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Frank Kimball has been described as "the founder of National City".[43] The city's continued existence is in large part a result of his efforts.[44] The central park for National City is named for Kimball.[44] In addition his importation of flora from outside of the United States has had a lasting impact on horticulture.[45]

Notes

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  1. ^ Asa served in the New Hampshire Militia with the 40th regiment.[8]
  2. ^ Prior to Spanish colonization of California in the late 1700s, the Kumeyaay people lived in the area.[16] In the 18th century it had previously been used as cattle grazing land by the Spanish, then the Mexicans. After the Mexican-American War, it changed hands several times before eventually being sold to the Kimball Brothers.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b Phillips, Irene (1968). The Chula Vista Story. South Bay Press.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Arden, Sylvia; Fabert, Wayne; Booth, Larry; Barron, Cia; Cartwright, Kathy; Cross, Linda; Kamerling, Bruce; Peterson, Sheri; Regan, Donna; Tarasuck, Pay (Fall 1975). "Viewing Victorian Vistas of National City" (PDF). sohosandiego.org. Save our Heritage Organization. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Phillips, Irene (1960). Mission Olive Industry and Other South Bay Stories. National City, California: South Bay Press.
  4. ^ Hoyt, Franklyn (May 1954). "San Diego's First Railroad: The California Southern". Pacific Historical Review. 23 (2): 133–146. doi:10.2307/3634289. JSTOR 3634289. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d Carnes, Marilyn; Nye, Matthew (2008). Early National City. Images of America. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Pub. ISBN 978-0-7385-5910-0.
  6. ^ a b Tompkins, Virginia, ed. (September 1989). "Historic Olive Grove Saved". Adelante: News of the Congress of History of San Diego. San Diego Public Library California Collection: Kimball Ephemera, Box1 Folder 3: 2.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  7. ^ a b c Abramo, Marisa; Allely, Mary (1997). "A Guide to the Kimball Family Collection". City of National City. National City Public Library. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c Morrison, Leonard Allison; Sharples, Stephen Paschall (1897). "Kimball Family in American: From 1634 to 1898 and its ancestors The Kemballs or Kemboldes of England" (PDF). Boston: Damrell & Upham. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d Joey Ham (April 25, 1976). "Frank Kimball: little man with big ideas". Chula Vista Star-News. Vol. 58, no. 34. Chula Vista, California. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
  10. ^ Coons, Alana (December 4, 1986). "Voyage of the Kimballs remembered". Star News. National City. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  11. ^ a b Mizony, Paul T., ed. (1956). Excerpts From the Diaries of Frank A. Kimball Founder of National City - California Years 1868 - to - 1912 (San Diego Public Library California Archive. Bound diary excerpt collection).
  12. ^ Trook, Leslie (Fall 1993). "National City: Kimball's Dream". San Diego Historical Society Quarterly. 39 (4). Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  13. ^ Susan Forest (June 8, 1958). "Frank Kimball Diaries Reveal founding of National City". Star News. National City, California. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  14. ^ a b Schoenherr, Steven (Summer 2008). "National City in Pictures" (PDF). The Journal of San Diego History. 53 (3): 162–183. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  15. ^ Coons, Alana (April 5, 1987). "Local historian's response". Star News. National City. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  16. ^ Ueda, R. (2017). America's Changing Neighborhoods: An Exploration of Diversity through Places [3 volumes]. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 906. ISBN 978-1-4408-2865-2. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
    National Archives (U.S.) (2000). Federal Register. Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration. p. 63623. Retrieved October 16, 2024. In 1975, human remains representing one individual were recovered from the Handyman site (SDSU-0366, SDI-4643, CAL:E:8:15, 1975-11) located at the Sweetwater River in the vicinity of National City, CA during excavations conducted by Dr. Larry Leach of San Diego State University. No known individual was identified. No associated funeral objects are present. Based on site location, ethnographic information, continuity of occupation, and consultation evidence, this individual has been identified as Kumeyaay.
    United States. Congress (2012). Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the ... Congress. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 14447. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
    National City Center City Project: Environmental Impact Statement. 1976. pp. 41–42. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
    Phillips, Irene (July 1962). "National City in Review". The Journal of San Diego History. 8 (3). Retrieved October 16, 2024. The land on which it stands was an Indian Rancheria, the home of Apusquele of the Hamacha Tribe
    Phillips, Irene (August 7, 1958). "In Old National City". Star-News. National City. Retrieved October 16, 2024 – via California Digital Newspaper Collection, University of California Riverside.
  17. ^ San Diego Historical Society. "Guide to the Rancho de la Nacion Collection MS 280". San Diego History Center Document Collection. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  18. ^ Steve Schoenherr (October 8, 2014). "National City Heritage Square and Brick Row". SunnyCV.com. South Bay Historical Society. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
    Steve Schoenherr (April 20, 2008). "Kimball House". South Bay Historical Society. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  19. ^ a b Lowell, Douglas L. (Fall 1985). "The California Southern Railroad and the Growth of San Diego Part 1". The Journal of San Diego History. 31 (4). Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  20. ^ Schmid, Dorothy Clark (1963). Pioneering in Dulzura. San Diego: Robert R. Knapp. p. 33. LCCN 63-17392.
  21. ^ B. M. Lelong (1888). "XIII. Best Varieties of California Origin". A Treatise on Citrus Culture in California (PDF). Sacramento: State Board of Horticulture of the State of California.
    Walter, Susan (November 26, 2011). "South Bay's juicy history". The Star News. Chula Vista. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
    California. State Board of Horticulture (1888). Biennial Report (in French). Superintendent State Printing. p. 240. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
    "The Lemons in California". Pacific Rural Press. San Francisco. January 16, 1892. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
  22. ^ Wes Keat (September 4, 1958). "In Old National City". Star News. National City, California. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  23. ^ The Great Southwest: A Monthly Journal of Horticulture. 1889. p. 3-PA7. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
  24. ^ a b c Carter, Nancy Carol (Summer 2008). "San Diego Olives: Origins of a California Industry" (PDF). The Journal of San Diego History. 54 (3): 137–161. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  25. ^ Finn, Pat (June 21, 2006). "Remembering the history of San Diego's county fair". KPBS. San Diego. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  26. ^ a b c McClain, Molly (Summer 2008). "A National City Investor: Theron Parsons (1805-1893)" (PDF). The Journal of San Diego History. 54 (3): 184–201. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  27. ^ Lesley, Lewis B. (March 1939). "The Entrance of the Santa Fe Railroad into California". Pacific Historical Review. 8 (1): 89–96. doi:10.2307/3633614. JSTOR 3633614. Retrieved September 8, 2024 – via University of Chicago.
  28. ^ Roseman, F.M.; Watry, P.J. (2008). Chula Vista. Images of America. Arcadia Pub. p. 17. ISBN 978-0-7385-5616-1. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
    Hansen, Brett (June 2007). "Stemming the Flow: The Sweetwater Dam". Civil Engineering. 77 (6): 36–37. doi:10.1061/ciegag.0000799. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
    Lowell, Douglas L. (Fall 1985). "The California Southern Railroad and the Growth of San Diego Part 1". The Journal of San Diego History. 31 (4). Retrieved September 8, 2024.
    Trook, Leslie (April 14, 1988). "Sweetwater Dam: Foresight of Frank Kimball prominent in centennial". Star News. Chula Vista. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  29. ^ "Kimball Brothers Once Owned Proctor Valley". National City Star-News. Vol. 77, no. 48. July 28, 1960. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
  30. ^ Mizony, Paul T. "Jose Antonio Estudillo: Family History, From a Letter Written by Frank A. Kimball, National City, Calif., January 14, 1889" (October 15, 1959) [book]. California. San Diego Central Library: Marilyn & Gene Marx Special Collections Center, San Diego Public Library.
  31. ^ Schoenherr, Steve (May 10, 2017). "Otay Watch Factory". sunnycv.com. South Bay Historical Society. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
    NAWCC Bulletin. National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Incorporated. 1994. p. 507. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
    Carnes, M.; Nye, M. (2008). Early National City. Images of America. Arcadia Pub. p. 66. ISBN 978-0-7385-5910-0. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  32. ^ a b Victorian National City (PDF). San Diego, California: Save Our Heritage Organization. 1982.
  33. ^ Irene Phillips (June 24, 1957). "In Old National City". Star News. National City, California. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  34. ^ A History of the World's Columbian Exposition Held in Chicago in 1893 (PDF). 1893. p. 123.
  35. ^ Nye, Matthew (Summer 2008). "National City Public Library: An Early History" (PDF). The Journal of San Diego History. 54 (3): 202–2014. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  36. ^ Phillips, Irene (February 9, 1961). "Kimball was Interested in a Huge Mexican Ranch". Star News. National City. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  37. ^ "Daughter of Family Which Once Owned Big Land Tracts, Laura Kimball Today Earns Living Weaving Palm Fibre". The San Diego Sun. San Diego Public Library California Collection: Kimball Ephemera, Box 1, Folder 2. 1934.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  38. ^ Linzey, Garnet "Lee" (June 28, 1987). "Kimball: A Mason with pioneering spirit". Star News. National City. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  39. ^ "George Kimball Children". California Revealed. 1891. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  40. ^ Mizony, Paul T. "Reference Data on Early Churches of National City" (March 18, 1957) [book]. California, p. 4. San Diego Central Library: Marilyn & Gene Marx Special Collections Center, San Diego Public Library.
  41. ^ Mizony, Paul T. (1962). The Seventy-Fifth Anniversary of South West Lodge No. 283 F.& A.M. National City California. San Diego Public Library California Collection (published October 1962). p. 1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  42. ^ "City's Founder Passes Away". Star News. National City. August 16, 1913. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  43. ^ "Frank Kimball House, 21 West Plaza Boulevard, National City, San Diego County, CA". Historic American Building Survey. Library of Congress. 1933. Retrieved October 16, 2024. he house was the residence of the founder of National City, Frank Kimball.
  44. ^ a b Little, Joe (September 26, 2023). "National City's history traces its roots back to one man: Frank Kimball". KNSD. San Diego. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  45. ^ "About National City". Open House. San Diego Architectural Foundation. 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2024. Through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, they imported and planted trees from Europe and Asia, providing a legacy that lasts to this day.

Further reading

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