Came here aboard ship Elizabeth" in 4/30/1634 age 1 yr. Cause of Death: Killed by an Indian named Symon

9 THOMAS2 KIMBALL (Richard1), of Hampton and Bradford, "wheelwright," b. ab. 1633; m.
Mary Smith (Thomas). He was of Hm. 1653-9; rem. to Bd. ab. 1666; killed by Indians, May 3,
1676[Bd].(+) Wid. Mary dism. from Hv. to Bd. chh. 1682.
Children:
48 I ELIZABETH,3 b. Dec. 5, 1658; d. Dec 27, 1658[D Hm].
49 II RICHARD,3 Capt., b. Nov. 20, 1659[D Hm]; m. 1st, Sep. 17, 1682[Bd], Sarah
Spofford [or Spaford]; 2d, Nov. 5, 1714[Bd], Mehitable Day [wid. of
(60) RICHARD3 KIMBALL]; res. Bd.; adm. chh. 1691, with wife Sarah;
he d. Jan. 21, 1732-3.
50 III HANNAH,3 or JOANNA,3 b. Jan. 27, 1661[Ip]; m. ab. 1680, JOSHUA2 MORSE
(Anthony1) of Nb.; d. 1690 or '91.
51 IV JOSEPH,3 b. ab. 1662; liv. 1690; d. bef. 1699.
52 V MARY,3 b. ab. 1663; m. March 22, 1682-3, Thomas Reddington of Boxford.
53 VI THOMAS,3 b. ab. 1665; m. 1st, 1686, Deborah Pemberton; 2d, Grace
Hall [wid. of (9) JOHN3 CURRIER]; d. June 30, 1732, in Bd.
54 VII EBENEZER,3 b. April 29, 1668[Bd]; [d. young?](*)
55[VIII ELIZABETH,3 b. July 24, 1669[Bd Sm], d. young?](*)
56 IX PRISCILLA,3 b. April 15, 1673[Bd]; liv. 1676.
57 X JOHN,3 b. Oct. 14, 1675[Bd]; rem. to N. J.

(*) A John Kimball m. Hannah Adams [wid. of Francis Muncy], after 1660.

(+) Mary, the wife of Thomas Kimball, and five children, Joanna, Thomas,
Joseph, Priscilla, and John, were taken captive at the same time, carried into
the wilderness, and allowed to come home June 13, 1676[Bd].

Thomas owned a mill on the Oyster River at Hampton NH where he is found by 20 Oct 1653 and where he remained until at least 1660 whereupon he and his family moved to Rowley MA (once Merrimack, now Bradford). He served as Constable there in 1668/9 and his house was noted as one of the "legal places for posting and publishing any orders or other business of public concernment to the whole town." This house was on the Boxford Road and the Kimballs resided there for ten years. Morrison says that he was "a mechanic and thrifty farmer" and that he owned over 400 acres and a large amount of personal property.
His large estate could not save his life nor save his family from a terrible ordeal. On 2 May 1676, three "converted" Indians whom the settlers called Peter, Andrew and Symon went on a rampage. They attacked the Kimball household, where Symon killed Thomas. Mary and five of her children (Joanna, Thomas, Joseph, Priscilla and John) were taken captive and held for 41 days. Wanalancet, chief of the Pennacooks intervened and arranged for their freedom without ransom but not before Mary and the infant John were threatened and "twice the fires were lit to burn them"). Mary's distraught parents in Ipswich petitioned for Sabbath prayers (3 May 1676) and the family was released 13 Jun 1676. Mary subsequently petitioned the governor for protection from Symon and all three Indians were jailed, though they soon escaped.


It appears that Mary remained a widow, for on 18 Nov 1686 her brothers-in-law "Richard and Benj Kimball of Bradford did covenant to and with the Selectmen of Ipswich that they would take Thomas Smith and his wife to Bradford to the house of Mary Kimball the widow of Thomas Kimball and provide their meate, drink, washing, lodgeing, clothes and attendance with all things necessary for persons in such a condition for the space of one year beginning at the date hereof, the price for a year to be £ 25".


Mary and her mother must both have died in the year that the Smiths came to live with her, for on 8 Dec 1681 the Salem records indicate that the town "agreed with Richard Kimball of Bradford to allow unto him further keeping and providing for his grandfather, Thomas Smith for the year ensuing - £ 13".
Sources: History of the Kimball family in America, from 1634 to 1897 by Morrison, Leonard A. - 1897; Genealogical Record of the Descendants of John Spofford and Elizabeth Scott - 1888; PAF Kimball; Salem Town Records