Daniel Starkweather Kimball homeopath, spiritualist, and descendant of the Universal Publik Friend

by Patricia R. James, author
published December 2006
                               

      Daniel Starkweather KIMBALL was born in Charlestown, Montgomery Co., NY on the 7th of January 1806.  He was the last born of Elisha and Mary (GODFREY) Kimball.  His grandfather, John KIMBALL of Stonington, CT married into the PALMER family of Preston, CT.  On his mother's side, he is descended from John WHIPPLE, an early representative of Ipswich, MA and Deacon Joseph GOODHUE.  Among his famous ancestors is Jemima WILKINSON, the first American-born woman to establish a religious order and a utopian community.  The Universal Friends believed in faith healing among other unique practices.

     Dr. Kimball studied at the Auburn (Cayuga County) Theological Seminary.  His study of medicine was first under Joseph F. PITNEY and later under Dr. Samuel GUTHRIE, discoverer of chloroform.  He attended courses at Fairfield Medical College in 1827-28 and, obtaining his degree in 1829, began his practice after settling in Sacket's Harbor.           

     He suffered many years from dyspepsia (chronic indigestion).  The uncertainty of conventional medicine directed him towards the study of homeopathy which in the 1840's was making a stir in the old as well as the new world. He finally chose to become a practitioner of this new approach and was the only homeopath for many miles around.

     He was one of the founders of the American Institute of Homeopathy.  In 1849, he received an honorary degree of medicine from Geneva Medical College.  He was instrumental in the 'conversion' (to homeopathy?) of Drs. DUNNING and WRIGHT (residents of Watertown) and of Dr. MASSEY (of Sandusky City). 

     While a conventional medical doctor, he was said to be 'the best read physician in Jefferson County,' by Prof. A. TROWBRIDGE.  He was the Physician and Surgeon for the U.S. garrison at Madison Barracks and later became the Examining Surgeon for Pensions during the Civil War. 

     For about 20 years, until 1852, he was a member of the Episcopal Church.  In 1854, he added his name to a petition of 13,000 signatures from all over the United States asking Congress to fund an investigation of ‘mesmeric experiments’ (i.e., spiritualistic phenomena).  

     He married first in 1834, Emeline SANDIFUTT (probably SANDIFORTH or SANFORD).  (This source does not say if they were divorced.)  In 1866, he married (2^nd), Susan A. H. NORVILLE, formerly of Springfield, MA.  Daniel joined his 2nd wife in the Spiritualist belief.  She is noted as being a 'remarkable clairvoyant.' 

Sources for this article:

Largely condensed from Cleave's Biographical Cyclopedia of Homeopathic Physicians    
     www.homeoint.org/history/cleave     
     Includes incorporated information from The Samaritan Medical Center newsletter,
          "Vignettes in North Country Medical History"  (#19)