Ann Boylston Kimball

Many praiseworthy samplers were made in the Essex County towns of Newbury and Newburyport in the 18th and early 19th century, and specific shared characteristics have emerged. One of these is the excellent verse that Ann Boylston Kimball stitched onto her fine sampler; it notes that the hours spent with book, needle and pen are a blessing. Ann was only 8 years old but she was obviously already an accomplished needleworker. 

Born on July 28, 1821, Ann was the daughter of Moses and Lavinia (Barnard) Kimball, the 4th of their 5 children. Moses (1779-1867) was a successful textile and dry-goods merchant in Newburyport. A wonderful portrait of him (see below), painted by William Jennys, circa 1808, is in the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Notably, the Peabody Essex Museum holds the Moses Kimball Papers within their collections. 

The history of the Kimball family, beginning with Richard Kimball who came to Massachusetts in 1634, is well documented in History of the Kimball Family in America From 1634 to 1897 by Leonard Allison Morrison and Stephen Paschall Sharples (Boston, 1897). Extensive photocopies from this book are included in the file that accompanies the sampler. 

Ann remained single and died in 1900 at age 79 in West Newbury. She is buried in Highland Cemetery in Newburyport along with many family members. 
The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition. 
 

Portrait of Moses Kimball
by William Jennys, c. 1808
(courtesy of the Minneapolis Institute of Art)