WILLIAM W. KIMBERLING. It is owing to the enterprise and push of such men as Mr. Kimberling that Stone County, Missouri, owes much of its prosperity, for he has been one of its thrifty, industrious and intelligent agriculturists for many years, and is at the present time the proprietor of a fine and well-improved farm of 110 acres on the south side of White River. He was born in Franklin County, Arkansas, April 16, 1840, a son of Nathaniel and Nancy (Birchfield) Kimberling, native Tennesseans.
The father became a resident of Stone County a few years after the disposal of the land by the Indians, and here made his home. The greater part of the time, although he resided for about a year in Texas and Arkansas. His death occurred in the Lone Star State in 1862, at the age of sixty years. He was of German descent, a Republican in politics, a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and, through-out life, he followed the honorable occupation of farming, at which he obtained a comfortable competency. He was truly one of the pioneers of Stone County, and as he was a skillful marksman and fond of hunting, had numerous opportunities of gratifying this taste, and many a bear fell a victim to his unerring aim. He was married in Stone County to a daughter of John Birchfield, who was an early settler and the owner of a good farm on the James River. He died many years ago. Mrs. Kimberling died in 1865, having become the mother of fourteen children, only four of whom are living: Caroline, wife of James Mayes, of Moniteau County, Missouri; Benjamin, who is a resident of Stone County; California A., married, and a resident of Moniteau County, and Eliza, who is living in Christian County, the wife of Jesse Gardner. Those deceased are Peter, John P., Rebecca, James J., Melissa, Sophia, and several infants. Four of the sons were soldiers in the Civil War: James J., Benjamin, Peter, and William W.
The latter was reared in the county of his birth, and as schools were few and far between, he received but a limited education. When the great conflict between the North and South opened, he first joined the Home Guards, but in 1862 enlisted in Company F, Fourteenth Missouri State Militia, afterward becoming a member of the Eighth Missouri Militia, and took part in the engagement at Springfield, and was also engaged in fighting bushwhackers and in following up Price through the State. He received an honorable discharge in April, 1865, and for one year there-after resided in Colorado, after which he returned to Missouri and located in the upper part of Stone County on a farm. In 1870 he located on his present farm on the White River, where he also conducts a ferry, known as the Mayberry Ferry on the Wilderness road. Mr. Kimberling has always affiliated with the Republican party, and, for one term, held the position of postmaster of Radical. In a business way he has been reasonably successful, and is now the owner of a comfortable and pleasant home.
At the close of the war he married Miss Phoebe A. Cox, a daughter of John Cox and a sister of Judge Cox of Stone County, and to them the following children have been given: John; Nancy, wife of Thomas F. Biles; Susan, wife of William Biles; William W., Lula A, James H., Charles B., Frederick, Nettie, Bessie, Myra, and two who are dead-Columbus and Mirtie May. Mr. and Mrs. Kimberling are members of the Baptist Church, and he belongs to the G. A. R. post at Galena.
I am a GGG Grandaughter of James Kimberling. GG Grandaughter of Nathaniel Kimberling , William Wesleys brother. My father had a son, California and California had a Son, Bighie Hagan, who was my grandfather. Bighie had 6 children including my mother, Violet Delores, who died in May 2022. I have researched my heritage for 3 years, very hard work, but its worth it as I have researched and found credible family direct bloodlines to my mother from the year 1599. There is one crazy spot in my history that has been difficult to complete. The names of ALL of my GGG Grandfather James Children and although I have searched Missouri Counties, cannot find his ABSOLUTELY CORRECT
BIRTHDATE, DEATH DATE AND BURIAL PLACE. OR THE NAMES OF TGE 2 BROTHERS HE CAME TO MISSOURI WITH IN 1833. Although, Ive seen it many times in info accumulated that he had 2 wives, both named Mary Ann and that he was buried in Stone County. Still searching but very frustrated. I would like to say that so much emphasis has been placed on William Wesley as having contributed to Stone County and Kimberling City that the Contributions of James Kimberling Sr. and his son Nathaniel have been mostly ignored or given only one or 2 sentences in the annals of history. I would love to see more attention given to them and other members of the early Mo Kimberling families who should be shown more appreciation especially by those researching early Taney and Stone Counties. Thank You For Your Time! Proud to be a Kimberling