Appendix D: Andrew’s Self-Assessment
Andrew drafted in pencil an autobiographical sketch. It was probably written between 1912 and 1920, since it refers to “Gila Academy” (so named from 1911 to 1920) and to “the state” (Arizona was admitted as a state in 1912). It is important because it shows what he wished for people to know about him.
It is not surprising that he would identify himself first as stake president, but it is surprising that he gives such great emphasis to his several years as a member and chairman of the territorial and state agricultural committees. Perhaps he saw that work as especially significant because he lived in and led a farming community, or perhaps because it constituted recognition from people outside his church circle. He also wished to be seen as a self-made man—orphaned early, self-reliant, a skilled workman, night-school educated, and active in many kinds of commercial enterprise.
Andrew Kimball
President of the St. Joseph Stake
Chairman of the State Agriculture and Horticulture Committee
In Mr. Kimball’s public life of 33 years of activity he has served in nearly all of the official callings of his church and politically many places of honor and responsibility. As president of a stake or “Mormon Colony” everything naturally comes under his supervision. 4500 people living in 15 organized wards extending from the borders of New Mexico to and including Globe, spreading over three counties of the state. Head of the Board of Education of the Gila Academy. Also one of the General Board of the Deseret Sunday School Union, an organization of 180,000 Sunday School workers in all the world.
For two years a member of the Territorial Horticulture Committee where he served without compensation, under state regulations.
He is now chairman of the State Agriculture and Horticulture Committee and has associated with him Prof. R. H. Forbes, Director of the Experimental Station, secretary and W. K. Bowen members.
In past years Mr. Kimball has been school trustee, prominent in municipal, county, state and national affairs. Alderman, mayor, legislator, Constitution builder, member of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial and International Irrigation Congresses.
Has built two beautiful homes, one in Salt Lake and his present home. Horticulturist, farmer, stock-raiser, mechanic, commercial man, statesman, missionary, homemaker, head of a large and respectable family and surrounded by many features of comfort the workmanship of his own hand.
Born in the fastness of the Rocky Mountains in the City of the Saints when Salt Lake was but 11 years old. Had his training under the trying times incident to pioneering life in the west. Left fatherless at 10 and motherless at 21. Launched out for himself early in life and has for the most part pushed for himself.
While helping to support his widowed mother and his family in the day and later in night school he obtained his schooling.
In railroad construction at 15, ranching and learned the tanners trade while yet in his teens, learned the machinist trade and locomotive engineering before he was 27 and after fulfilling mission of over two years, entered upon commercial pursuits and was a traveling salesman in 1898 when called to Arizona to preside over the St. Joseph Stake.
He has worked as a member, doorkeeper, class leader, president in various auxiliaries, as missionary and president of mission in Church circles.
Ward [political] worker, member and chairman of municipal, county, territorial and national conventions. These varied experiences have played their part in fitting Mr. Kimball to some extent for the present responsibilities of life.
Mr. Kimball’s father, a Vermonter, was one of the founders of “Mormonism” and one of the first apostles and associated with Pres. Brigham Young as one of the First Presidency of the Church, pioneer and organizer. His mother Ann A. Gheen of Pennsylvania also a pioneer of the west, raised her children in lives of industry.
Andrew, third of his mother’s five children, born Sept. 6, 1858, married when 24 to Olive Woolley, parents of 11 children, 7 now living, from 1885 until 1897. For 12½ years during the time his family were small Mr. Kimball labored as traveling missionary and president of what is known now as the Central States Mission. When they moved to Arizona in 1898 and they brought with them six Utah-born children, Arizona claims five [as natives]. The mother is laid to rest. Since the death of Mrs. Olive Kimball, October 18, 1906, Mr. Kimball married Josephine Cluff who was then matron and teacher in the Academy.
In Arizona among his activities Mr. Kimball was a member of the 21st Legislature where, as chairman of the Judiciary Committee, he had much to do with codifying the laws, was father of the local option law, one of the power implement dealers in his county, one of the organizers and for a long time president of the T. I. & Merc. Co. known as the Big Six of Thatcher, helped organize the Citizens Bank and has been a promoter of [local?] enterprises from the beginning of his career in Arizona, one of the contractors and builders of the Morenci S. R.R., was mayor of Thatcher and as a public speaker and writer has done much.
