Edwin Nelson Jr. Kimball

Who was Mr Edwin Nelson Jr. Kimball?

Mr Edwin Nelson Jr. Kimball was a prominent American businessman and Titanic survivor. Born on March 9, 1870, in Atlanta, Georgia, he rose to become the president of the Hallet & Davis Piano Company in Boston, Massachusetts. Kimball’s life was marked by his successful career in the piano retail business and his dramatic survival of the Titanic disaster in 1912.

Early Life and Family

Southern Roots and Northern Move

Edwin Nelson Jr. Kimball was born into a family with diverse geographical roots. His father, Edwin Kimball (b. 1840), was a carriage manufacturer from Maine, while his mother, Emma Cook (b. 1850), hailed from Connecticut. Edwin had two known siblings:

Emma (b. 1873)
George Cook (b. 1880)

Interestingly, the Kimball family’s journey took them across borders. It appears that during Edwin’s youth, the family lived in Canada for a time, where his sister Emma was born. Eventually, they settled in Massachusetts, as evidenced by the 1880 census, which shows them residing in Newton, Middlesex.

Education and Career Beginnings

Edwin’s formative years were spent in Boston, where he received his education. Following his graduation, he took a significant step in his professional life by joining his father in the piano retail business. This early exposure to the industry would shape his future career and lead to his eventual leadership role at a prestigious piano company.

Marriage and Professional Success

A Boston Love Story

On September 26, 1893, Edwin married Gertrude Susan Parsons in Brookline, Massachusetts. Gertrude, born in 1866, was a native of Northampton, Massachusetts. The couple’s union was a childless one, but their partnership would prove enduring through both personal and professional challenges.

Rising in the Piano Business

Edwin’s career flourished in the years following his marriage. He climbed the corporate ladder to become the president of the Hallet & Davis Piano Company in Boston, Massachusetts. This position established him as a notable figure in the city’s business community and afforded the Kimballs a lifestyle of comfort and prestige.

The Titanic Experience

How did the Kimballs come to be on the Titanic?

As successful members of Boston’s upper echelon, Edwin and Gertrude Kimball booked passage on the Titanic’s maiden voyage. They embarked at Southampton as first-class passengers, holding ticket number 11753, which came at the considerable cost of £52, 11s, 1d (equivalent to approximately £6,500 in 2023).

Luxury Accommodations and Fateful Night

The Kimballs were assigned cabin D-19, one of the ship’s luxurious first-class accommodations. On the night of April 14-15, 1912, when the Titanic struck an iceberg and began to sink, the couple found themselves in the midst of history’s most famous maritime disaster.

Rescue and Survival

Fortunately for the Kimballs, they were among the survivors of the tragedy. They were rescued in lifeboat 5, along with their friends:

Richard and Sallie Beckwith
Karl Behr and Helen Newsom

This group’s survival was a testament to the chaotic yet somewhat orderly evacuation of the ship’s first-class passengers.

Life After the Titanic

Return to Massachusetts

Following the Titanic disaster, Edwin and Gertrude returned to their life in Massachusetts. The 1920 census shows them living in Newton, Middlesex, indicating that they maintained their residence in the Boston area.

In 1922, at the age of 52 (fifty-two), Edwin retired from his position at the Hallet & Davis Piano Company. However, retirement did not mean inactivity for Kimball. He became actively involved in various associations, including:

Boston Athletic Association
Brae-Burn Country Club
Automobile Club

These memberships suggest that Edwin maintained a socially active and potentially influential lifestyle even after his professional career.

Final Years and Legacy

Edwin Nelson Jr. Kimball spent his final years at 305 Fuller Street in Newton. On April 6, 1927, at the age of 57 (fifty-seven), he passed away due to pneumonia. He was laid to rest at Newton Cemetery in West Newton, Massachusetts.

Kimball’s life story encapsulates the American dream of the early 20th century—from his rise in the business world to his survival of one of history’s most infamous disasters. His legacy lives on as part of the enduring narrative of the Titanic and as a testament to the resilience of those who survived that fateful night in April 1912.