Biographies
John F. Kimbley
John F. Kimbley, M.D., is a native of Muhlenberg County. His grandfather on his father's side was born in Holland; emigrated to the United States previous to the Revolutionary war; served in that struggle and came at an early date to Kentucky. He settled on Corn Island below Louisville, and assisted in raising the first corn ever produced in Kentucky. One of his children was Frank E. Kimbley, who moved from Louisville to Muhlenberg County in 1792. He married Elizabeth Vanlandingham, a descendant of a Virginia family, by whom he had six children. The youngest was John F. Kimbley, born Sept. 24, 1823. At the age of 21 in Muhlenberg County, he began the study of medicine, subsequently attending a course of lectures in St. Louis, and in 1849 graduated from the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia. He had located in Daviess County in 1847, and after his graduation returned to the same locality, practicing medicine until the late war. The doctor took strong grounds for the Union. He volunteered his services, and in 1861 was appointed surgeon of the Eleventh Kentucky Infantry, serving three years and four months. He held, at various times, staff, brigade, division and corps positions in the armies of the Cumberland, Ohio and Tennessee, and was one of the chief surgical operators on every battlefield of his command, receiving always the commendation of his superiors. He served as Medical Director of the cavalry corps of Brigadier-General Sturges. General order No. 23, relieving Surgeon Kimbley from the duty of Medical Director, was as follows:
Headquarters Cavalry Corps,
Paris, KY, April 9, 1864
The Eleventh Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry having been permanently detached from this command, and J.F. Kimbley being surgeon of that regiment, he is hereby relieved from duty as Medical Director of the cavalry corps and will report to his regiment commander for duty. The General commanding can not, however, thus summarily break his official connection with Surgeon J.F. Kimbley without expressing his deep regret for the necessity which compels him to lose from his staff so estimable a gentleman and one who has administered the medical department with so much energy, zeal and ability.
By order of
Brigadier-General Sturges.
On his return to Daviess County, Dr. Kimbley resumed the practice of medicine. He has been married three times and has two children. The Doctor was a slave-holder at the breaking out of the war, and lost heavily by the emancipation of the slaves. He earnestly supported every measure for crushing out the rebellion, and adopted Republican principles during the struggle. His political opinions still place him in the Republican ranks, a position he has chosen, not so much from partisan feeling as that he considers in thus acting he is best discharging his duty to this country as a patriot.
Source: History of Daviess County, Kentucky. Chicago: Inter-State, 1883. Page 236-237. Image from plates at back of volume. Archive.org. 27 June 2018.
Contributed by Dorann O'Neal Lam
Updated July 9, 2018