Bradley Kimbrough (1799 - 1874)

Born 3 Nov 1799 in Jefferson, Tennessee, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Fidelia Carson — married 30 Nov 1833 in Jefferson, Tennessee, United States

Descendants

Died 30 Jun 1874 at age 74 in Mulberry, Lincoln, Tennessee, United States

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Biography

Bradley Kimbrough was born 3 November 1799 in Jefferson County, Tennessee. He was the oldest son of Marmaduke "Duke" Kimbrough and his third wife, Eunice (Carlock) Kimbrough.

He was born and reared on a farm. His father being a preacher, and away from home most of the time, and his four older brothers having married or gone to the War of 1812, and with a mother and several younger brothers and sisters to support, young Kimbrough, at the age of 12, was up against the necessity of taking the lead on the farm and supporting the family. This circumstance interfered with his getting an education. Nevertheless, when it was possible for him to be spared from the farm, he attended the neighborhood schools, and was an apt scholar.

In 1822 he commenced reading law with Judge Jacob Peck who was then on the supreme bench with Haywood and White. Two years later the supreme court, which sat at Rogersville, Tennessee, gave him license to practice. He then located at Madisonville, Tennessee where he practiced as a leading attorney for ten years.

As a representative of Monroe County, Tennessee in 1834, he was a member of the State Convention which remodeled the Constitution of the State of Tennessee. The following year he refused to be a candidate for the legislature, choosing rather to be a preacher of the gospel, and was accordingly ordained to the ministry by the Madisonville Church in the year 1835: His first experience in preaching was a delightful seven months' missionary tour through Georgia and into South Carolina: preaching to churches and collecting his support as he went from place to place, making his circuit around through Hot Springs, North Carolina, to his father's home in Jefferson County, Tennessee, thence to Madisonville.

In December, 1836, he received an appointment as missionary under the direction of the Board of the Tennessee Convention. August 31, 1837, he was married to Martha H. (Whitaker) Kimbrough (1808-1891), a daughter of Deacon John J. Whitaker, of Mulberry, Lincoln County, Tennessee, a pillar of the Mulberry Baptist Church, and a liberal supporter of the Lord's cause. To this union were born five children, all daughters. For the next few years he was pastor of churches. Later he moved his family to Mulberry. His labors with this church and in the country round about, were blessed of the Lord. With the aid of other brethren he constituted a church at McMinnville, another at Winchester, another in Cornersville, and still another six miles from Shelbyville. His labors were extensive and abundantly blessed. In 1845 an educational mass-meeting was held near Murfreesboro, for the purpose of taking steps toward the endowment of Union University. The committee employed Elder Kimbrough, who gave himself unreservedly to the work, going on horseback from church to church and from house to house, completing the proposed endowment in less than two years. He now gave himself for a time to evangelistic work, holding meetings here and there, giving special attention to weak churches. But the Domestic Missionary Board at Marion, Alabama, offering him work, he accepted an appointment as missionary and served the board one year. He was solicited to serve the board at Marion longer, but having offers at the same time from the Bible Board and Union University, he chose the harder job, collecting the money due on bonds that had been given to endow the university. He assisted in the organization of Liberty Association, was a member of the body thirty-eight years, and several years its moderator. He was also the honored president of the General Association or Convention of Middle Tennessee and North Alabama. Elder Kimbrough had ministerial gifts of a high order, and they were wholly consecrated. He also had good native ability and a legally trained mind. All these were assets which guaranteed his success in whatever he undertook. He closed his earthly labors June 30, 1874, "falling on sleep" in Jesus the Lord, whom he had faithfully served.

Father of Sarah Ann (Kimbrough) Jones (1838-1917), Elizabeth Caroline (Kimbrough) Holman (1840-1903), Nancy Susan (Kimbrough) Whitaker (1841-1866), Mary Catherine (Kimbrough) Bailey (1843-1932) and Martha Cordelia (Kimbrough) Thomison (1845-1928).

Sources

• 1856 June The Baptist page 4 Obit of Mother http://media2.sbhla.org.s3.amazonaws.com/tbarchive/1856/TB_1856_Jun_21.pdf

• Find A Grave: Memorial #15040328 accessed 15 August 2022, memorial page for Rev Bradley Kimbrough (3 Nov 1799–30 Jun 1874), citing Mulberry Cemetery, Mulberry, Lincoln County, Tennessee, USA; Maintained by Jody & Lesa Baltz (contributor 17485994). Tombstone photo attached. Death date inscribed. Name inscription: Bradley Kimbrough.