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User:SDPLPauline/Draft: Frank A. Kimball

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For other uses, see Frank Kimball (disambiguation).
Frank A. Kimball
Born(1832-01-26)January 26, 1832
Died(1913-08-11)August 11, 1913[1]
Resting placeLa Vista Memorial Park[1]
Known forBusinessman, horticulturalist
Spouse
Sarah Kimball
​
(m. 1857)​
[2]

Frank Augustus Kimball (born Francis, January 26, 1832)[3][4] was an American businessman and horticulturalist.[5]: 1  He is often associated with bringing the railroad to the Bay area, though he was also a prominent horticulturist and businessman in developing the Mission Olive industry.[3]: 3  He helped promote new entrepreneurs and was philanthropic in his donations of land for cemeteries, schools, and churches. [4] He was generally associated with the founding and continued success of National City.[4][6]

Early life

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Frank was born in Hopkinton, New Hampshire on January 26th, 1832.[7]

Career

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In New Hampshire, Frank operated a merchandise store, but became in debt due to the Panic of 1857. Looking to repay his debt, he took out a loan, to travel westward.[8]

San Francisco Bay Area

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In 1861 Frank moved to San Francisco.[7] In San Francisco, Frank and his brothers began carpentry work, and was able to send money back to New Hampshire to pay off his debts there.[8] Frank and his brothers worked in construction as the Kimball Brothers in Oakland, California before moving to what would become National City. Levi became a partner of the Kimball Brothers briefly in National City, then returned to Oakland with his wife.[4] In 1867, Frank was diagnosed with a lung diseased and told to relocate to a place with a warmer and drier climate.[7]

National City

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Brick Row, A Ave. between 9th and 10th St. National City

Frank Kimball arrived in San Diego, California on June 1, 1868.[1] Him and his wife had purchased the National Ranch for $30,000. They built their home from August-September 1868 and this became the first house in National City.

Frank promoted the fruit cultivation in National City, which led to others to plant fruit elsewhere in San Diego County.[9] In 1869, Frank 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, Frank began to raise sheep.[3]: 5  In 1876, Kimball planted the first eucalyptus in San Diego County.[5]: 1  In 1879, Frank received French olive trees from the government, and planted them.[3]: 7  Frank also grew grapes and citrus crops.[8]

In 1880, was among those who helped organize the first San Diego County Fair.[10][11] He would later get other foreign olive cultivars, to include the Coricabra.[3]: 8, 9  By 1883, Frank's olive grove was 5,000 trees strong.[3]: 10  In 1884, Frank travelled to Philadelphia, and in 1885 to New Orleans, to advertise his productive horticulture business.[8] At the end of 1886, an olive oil mill was constructed; competing against the olive oil produced by Elwood Cooper of Santa Barbara, who in 1879 was the only domestic olive oil producer in the nation.[3]: 9, 10 

In 1870, Frank attempted to lure the Texas and Pacific Railway to build a transcontinental railroad Pacific terminus in National City, without success.[12] After traveling to Boston, Frank was able to secure a deal with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway to build a transcontinental rail terminus in National City in 1880 in exchange for Kimball giving the railroad 16,000 acres (65 km2).[12] To accomplish this goal the railway established California Southern Railroad as a subsidiary.[12] In 1887, Frank funded the building of the Brick Row to house individuals connected to the Santa Fe Railway.[5]: 3 

In 1880, the Kimball brothers purchased half of Rancho Janal. In 1887, Frank purchased the portion of Rancho Janal owned by his brother Warren.[13]

In 1889, Frank wrote a family history of José Antonio Estudillo.[14] That same year Frank was appointed the 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] In 1893, Frank in debt.[5]: 1  In 1893, Frank in debt.[5]: 1  That same year, he received a bronze medal for his olive oil exhibit at the World's Columbian Exposition;[10] at the exposition Frank also displayed pickled and dried olives.[15] 1894 all his property, and remaining debt, was purchased by Ralph Granger.[5]: 2  In 1904, Frank was paid to travelled to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, where he hosted an exhibit on the agriculture of San Diego.[10] By 1905, Frank had recovered and returned to selling olive oil and pickled olives.[5]: 2  He also shipped the first oranges from National City.[16]

Personal life

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In 1882, Frank joined the congregation of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church;[17] Frank donated the land which the church was built upon.[5]: 5  Frank was also a founding member of the South West [sic] Masonic Lodge No. 283 in National City, California. He was elected chairman at its first meeting on September 15, 1886. His brother George's son, Augustus B. Kimball was also involved in the lodge.[18]On August 11,1913 Frank A. Kimball would pass away on August 13,1913 he would be laid to rest in La Vista Memorial Park, where many other members of the Kimball were buried.[1]


On April 19, 1857, Frank A. Kimball would marry Sarah "Currier" Kimball. They had no children. He had three brothers, George Little Kimball, Levi Woodbury Kimball and Warren Carlton Kimball.[19][2]

 
Frank Kimball House

Legacy

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The central park for National City is named for Frank Kimball.[20]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Mizony, Paul T., ed. (1956). Exerpts 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).
  2. ^ a b Phillips, Irene (1968). The Chula Vista Story. South Bay Press.
  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.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h 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 6 August 2024.
  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 d Joey Ham (25 April 1976). "Frank Kimball: little man with big ideas". Chula Vista Star-News. Vol. 58, no. 34. Chula Vista, California. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
  9. ^ Schmid, Dorothy Clark (1963). Pioneering in Dulzura. San Diego: Robert R. Knapp. p. 33. LCCN 63-17392.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ Finn, Pat (June 21, 2006). "Remembering the history of San Diego's county fair". KPBS. San Diego. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ "Kimball Brothers Once Owned Proctor Valley". National City Star-News. Vol. 77, no. 48. July 28, 1960. Retrieved August 27th, 2024. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  14. ^ Mizony, Paul T. "Jose Antonio Estudillo: Framily 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.
  15. ^ A History of the World's Columbian Exposition Held in Chicago in 1893 (PDF). 1893. p. 123.
  16. ^ "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)
  17. ^ 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.
  18. ^ 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 Oct. 1962). p. 1. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |publication-date= (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link) CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  19. ^ California Revealed (8/26/2023). "George Kimball Children". California Revealed. Retrieved 8/26/2024. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= and |date= (help)
  20. ^ 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.
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