As a young child he moved with his family to Boscawen, New Hampshire where he was educated in the local public schools.

[3] In 1856 Kimball was elected to the Common Council of Concord, New Hampshire.

[1] In 1857 Kimball was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives, and he was reelected in 1859.

In his second year in the legislature, Kimball served as the Chair on the committee on state prison.

[1] Kimball was elected the Mayor of Concord, New Hampshire[4][5] in 1872, and reelected in each of the next three years.