Where the Winds Blow Free
Dunbarton, NH - 1976
By Alice M. Hadley
page 58-9
Captain Samuel Kimball, master-builder of the Dunbarton church, selected one of the plans shown in Benjamin's book (Asher Benjamin, 1797, Assistant to the Country Builder) and also benefited from lessons learned by Josiah Woodruff, builder of the Farmington church, as well as by Joshua Blanchard and William Price, in constructing Old South and Old North churches. In turn, all of these builders owed a debt to the pioneer English architects, Gibbs (Sir James Gibbs) and Wren (Sir Christopher Wren). Thus by tracing the lineage of our local church we learn of some well-known architects and significant buildings in the story of early American architecture.
The function of the steeples in New England churches was unlike that of Wren in London - beauty compensating for lack of vista. Instead, it was to house the bell. Captain Kimball must have admired North Church in Boston for in the Dunbarton steeple he followed that plan of raising it by a series of square stages trimmed with balustrades and spires to the open bell enclosure topped by dome and vane, rather than utilizing a series of progressively smaller octagonal stages, as in Old South.
Upon its completion in 1836 the exterior of the church probably looked much as it does today except that the north and west sides of the lot each had a row of horse sheds. The steeple was completed and the bell installed at least by 1839 when Jonathan Colby was made sexton and instructed to "ring the bell on the Sabbath and for all publick lectures at the meeting-house."
page 141
Samuel Kimball came to town in 1824 to build the present Garvin house for Benjamin Marshall and later married Mrs. Marshall's sister. He built the Zeller house, his family residing in a shed while the building was in progress. His sons Samuel and Charles were also carpenters. Kimball also built the present Congregational Church in 1836 and the Robert Baker house.
page 183
Home presently owned by the heirs of William H Zeller was built about 1826 by Samuel Kimball, a carpenter. It was supposed to have been finished in time for the birth of his son, Charles, but was not. Charles was born Jan. 23, 1826 in what was the carpenter shop which stood across the yard and was there in 1856 when the long shed connecting the house and barn was built. Samuel came to Dunbarton in 1814 to build the former Garvin (Aberg) house for his cousin, Benjamin Marshall. He fell in love with Mrs. Marshall's sister, Hannah Goodhue, married her and settled in Dunbarton. He purchased a large tract of Ministerial land east of the Common.
page 215
Town Clerks
1861-1862 Charles Kimball