Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1868-08-07
Earl, history Of a Mormon Leader.

The follow;ne sketch of the early life of
Heber G. Kimball is given bya correspond
emit of the Troy Times:
Il see in your paper to-day what pur-
norris to be an address of Brigham Young
70 congregation of Mormons at the Iun-
araI of Heber c. Kimbal. Bingham says
Of Kimball: He was man OF as mucn III
teority, presume, as any man VINO eNei
lived upor1 the earth. have been person
aIlv ACQUAINTED with him for torty-tnree
wears and can testify that he has oeen
,,,a,, Of truth. a man of benevolence, a man
that was to be trusted. D.o.lo,.
s.Nr Young also states that Brother
Haber had been his first counsellor 1of
tvvantv-four wears If Brigham Young
testimony is good for anything, theh 1eo -t5
G. Kinnball viii be taken for an hones' . inssn
An intimate association with MN iot 49, 49,
tv-four years, and an acqulntance VI iol.y
three years, would give MI. loune ~
80, tbs credit Of being based upon ample
knowledge But circumstance III Tue
i;fo Of KimnaIl has come to my knowledge
tbo+ zrould NOT confirm the testimony OF
Brigham Young. -. Fon5o N
Y probably before his acquaintance with
Yo,Inp. He kept a country store, ana maze
b;e Purchases in Boston. He traded
on,onp others. with the firm of Amadon q
RownSan. and became largely indebted 70
them Becoming embarrassed, ne was
pressed by them to secure the dept IN SOME
wav. To do this he persuaded ms iather'
1rbo lived in Orange county, n. l., 10
MORTGAGE his farm to Amadon q Bowman,
promising himself to provide for the mort
gage. The whole property OF the eiaer
| Kimball consisted Of the farm Whlcn ne
! tbus encunbered to save his son from 1all-
ure. Soon after this transaction heOeI
/ Joined the Mormons. Years ran on, ana
| the interest on the mortgage accumulated
remained unpaid, and was last eating up
/ the valuable farm. The old man could not
pay it, and Heber neglected TO proVloe Iof
! II The farm was finally sold on fore
/ cIosnre of the mortgage, and Heber's pa
rents were turned out OF doors IN
their old age, and reduced to extreme
poverty. Mr. Amadon, Of the firm
/ IF Anadon & Bowman, is now
/ a resident of New York city, and would I'M
doubtedly recollect this transaction, al
1 though the claim against klmban passed
/ into the hands of his partner, bowman
II NAV be that Heber subsequently con-
/ tributed to the support OF his poor ana
aged parents but think he left them TO
die in want /,
/ HE has for twenty or thirty years had
the reputation Of being one OF the wealth,
lest of the Mormon leaders. he was SAID
to be in prosperous condition when his
parents were dispossessed of their farm and
home. He may have been a fast friend ana
faithful counsellor of Brigham Young, and
man of truth, integrity, benevolence and
trust, according to Mormon faith and prac-
tice. but in his treatment of his parents he
did not regard his promise; he was not
honest nor Just; he showed himself without
natural affection.
In the Republican platform of 1856 was
a clause severely reprobating those twin
relics of barbarism, slavery and polygamy.
Slavery is abolished Is it not time that
the government should put an end to the
disgraceful practice of polygamy?"