With so many Kimball children (the twins, Andrew and Alice, were numbers 51 and 52), Heber had established a family school taught by Mary Ellen Harris Kimball, whose only child died young. Andrew received about a fifth grade training before he began working to help support his mother’s family.35
From age fifteen to seventeen (1873–75), he worked as a railroad construction hand on the Utah and Nevada Railroad. Then he worked a year and a half ranching and tending stock for a stagecoach company. At ages eighteen and nineteen (1877–78), he worked as a locomotive fireman for the Utah and Nevada Railroad. In between these jobs he did a little farming and ranching and hauling of hay.36
Andrew’s earliest-known writing is a scrap of paper with a few journal-type entries dated when he was nineteen. The entries read:
July 1st 1878 I Commenced Work for the Deseret Tanning and Manufacturing Association for one dollar and fifty cts per day $1.50 paid weekly in Cash and Stor pay. Cash 5.00 Storpay, 4.00 Which amounts to $9.00 dollars per Week.37
13 Feb. 1878 [1879?] I commenced halling hay for H.P Kimball from Meadow in the 19 Ward to His Residence at the rate of $2.00 per Ton. Hired D.P.Rich [Alice’s husband, David] to help allowing He half the income for He and his team
[1879] I commenced work at the D.T.M.Association as an Apprentas for three years, ending Aug 31st 1882 first year to receive per week 6.00 six dollars, second year per week 7.00 seven dollars and the third year 8.00 dollars.
Feb 5th 1880 I commenced work for the U.C. [Utah Central] R.Road Co, at firing on No. 1 Engine, at the rate of $60.00 sixty dollars per month
Aug 1st 1880 I Bought Of A.H. Neff 30 Acres of land on East mill creek for the sum of $500.00 dollars Aug 26th Paid in Cash 175.00. . . . Jan. 1, 1881 sold to brother Daniel for 500.
Andrew started an apprenticeship in the tannery, but it appears that he soon shifted to working on the Utah Central Railroad at $60 a month as a fireman, stoking the no. 1 engine on trains that ran north to Ogden (where it linked up with the Union Pacific running east and west and north). In 1881, after a year with the railroad, he transferred to the switch engine, still at $60 per month. Then in May a flue in the boiler of one of the engines burst, badly scalding him.38 He could not work for several weeks. In June, when he returned to duty, he transferred to the railroad shops to become a machinist.
Despite the new assignment he still occasionally worked as an engineer. On February 18, 1884, he recorded:
I in company with Peter Tibbs took the Snow Plow and cleared the track at the point of the mountain, snow flying in all directions and covering me from head to foot. We turned at Lehi Junction and arived at home at 7 o.c. . . .
Tuesday 19th Worked as usual til afternoon when I was called upon to go on the Snow Plow. they placed two other Engines behind. when we arrived at our field of labor we found a vast amount of snow the cuts being filled level.
the Passinger Engine had been bound since morning. we took a good start and plunged into the snow and there we stayed two thirds of the way through and was obliged to dig out. we tried it again with one Engine less. we pressed on within two or three rods of the out edge. then hung up again. dug out. received more force then made it successfully. we went back to Draper replenished with water then started for a clear sweep which we made. the snow crushed in both windows on my side and almost buried me. I helled fast to the boiler front till we got through a cut then I would put on more coal and so till we had cleared the track and let the trains pass which had been stoped all day, we went to Lehi Junction turned the Engines shoveled off the snow and returned home ariving at 3:30 a.m.
A variety of mishaps kept the shop busy. On January 7, 1884, a passenger train wrecked, and on January 11 a train derailed when it struck a horse tied too close to the track. Andrew sometimes drove the engine when trying it out after repairs. One time he drove it to Ogden pulling a traveling circus.
Andrew appeared to enjoy his work. The railway shops were not far from his home. He expressed pride when he proved capable of facing the floating valve on engine no. 3. He became skilled in the use of the grinder and planer, and he made tools. He got along well with his coworkers, but when they played baseball for beer, he excused himself.39
On January 4, 1884, the company announced to disappointed workers that they would not receive the raise they had expected, but Andrew at least had a little income outside his monthly railroad salary. He lent money at interest. Also for $175 he bought from his sister Sarah her share in their mother’s house when their mother’s estate was settled. He rented one half of the house for $5 and the other half for $4 a month. He bought thirty acres of land on East Mill Creek and sold it to his brother Daniel.40
Andrew was industrious, and he sought out various business opportunities during his early adult years.
