In addition to his many church duties, Andrew was much involved in ad hoc activities, such as chairing a committee to plan a “sociable” for raising funds for pews in the ward chapel. Andrew won an election as a school trustee in the Nineteenth School District, coordinated with the ecclesiastical Nineteenth Ward. And he was elected as a delegate from the political nineteenth ward to select candidates for the People’s Party ticket in the election. In 1892, Church President Wilford Woodruff appointed Andrew a member of the committee to establish the monument to Brigham Young at Temple Square.54
The Godbeites and Gentiles in Utah had created the Liberal Party in 1870.55 Church members soon after created the People’s Party. As part of accommodation to the larger society, in 1891 Church leaders dissolved the Church-aligned People’s Party and its members became either Democrats or Republicans, the two major national parties. In this division, Andrew became a committed Democrat.
Knowing his education had been limited, he organized an evening school that met once a week to study grammar, spelling, punctuation, arithmetic, and so forth. He noted, “[I] read every minute I get to apply myself.”56 As a young man Andrew took up the pen. In 1883 he won a prize for an essay submitted to the Church’s Mutual Improvement Association publication.57 In the years to come he would be a prolific writer for newspapers, reporting what he saw as he traveled. In 1915 his personal library consisted of 156 titles.58
Finances were tight. In 1884 wages at the railroad shops were cut 10 percent.59 Ollie made many of their clothes, including temple garments. Sometimes when Ollie rode the streetcar to her mother’s home at 444 East 200 South, about two miles away, Andrew walked to save the carfare.
Parties provided entertainment—celebrations for birthdays, missionary departures, visits from relatives, and so on. Ollie sang and played solos, Andrew recited readings he had memorized, and adults played parlor games. Of one party Andrew reported, “We had a very pleasant time. Plaid Blind man’s buff. Pres. [Joseph F.] Smith entered into the game like a boy.”60 Refreshments typically included lemonade, cake, and ice cream. In summer the railroad took its employees on excursions to Provo, to a picnic grove, or to the lake. Andrew once organized a ward picnic at the Great Salt Lake with a share of the profits from the train fare, bathhouse rental, and steamer on the lake going to the ward Sunday School. At the outing Andrew swam out to Black Rock twice.61 Other frequent entertainments included dances, concerts, plays, and even a traveling circus.
Andrew indicated in his journal that in his youth he felt somewhat depressed, but with marriage that seemed to have largely dissipated. He attributed the change to conscious decision.62 Although generally healthy, he did have an easily upset stomach.
A natural handy man, in his own home Andrew built fences, planted trees, made racks and bins, put down rag carpet, whitewashed, and helped a mason build the chimney. Over the years he also did plumbing, painting, leatherwork, toolmaking, and carpentry.
Ollie bore their first child, Maude Woolley Kimball, December 9, 1882, but ten months later, on October 24, 1883, she died of pneumonia. The funeral took place in Ma Woolley’s home. They buried Maude in the city cemetery. Andrew built a little decorative fence and installed it around her grave.63 Ollie felt disconsolate for a long time and tender of feelings, her emotions raw. One day when Andrew forgot to kiss Ollie goodbye and said something that she took for a criticism, it caused her to cry. But about a year later, on October 11, 1884, Ollie bore a second baby girl. They named her Olive Clare, after Ollie, but called her Clare. Over the years Ollie bore eleven children. Seven lived to maturity (see appendix B).
Although much occupied with work, church, and community, Andrew still attended to his children. He made a sledding run for his boys and had special sleds built. The backyard had a swing, hammock, and croquet set. He bought fireworks for Independence Day and made a show for the neighborhood. He also had a sense of humor and could tease. For example, he sometimes included in the Christmas gifts things like a potato or lump of coal all wrapped up like a present. In the Kimball household, Santa decorated the tree on Christmas Eve while the children slept. On Christmas Day, Andrew and the two boys would take a box of food and gifts to poor neighbors.
Andrew built his family home at 376 West 500 North, Salt Lake City, in 1888. Son Spencer was born here in 1895.
Ollie enjoyed living close to her mother, brothers and sisters, and friends. Whenever she could, Ollie visited her sister Ruth in Heber City. The two women looked much alike, both short and stocky, with a fair complexion and reddish hair. Ollie dreaded that she and Andrew might be called to leave the security of her life-long home. She wrote, “The bishop called two men to go to Arizona, Brothers White and Thompson. I was so afraid that Andrew would be called.”64 She often experienced loneliness, even though Andrew was at home. She noted at the end of July 1889 that Andrew had been gone every evening that month, mostly on Church business.65
Notes
54. The sculpture was unveiled July 24, 1897, and placed in Main Street July 24, 1900.
55. For more information on the Gobeites and the Liberal Party, see Walker, Wayward Saints.
