Isaac Kimber (1692–1755) was an English

General Baptist General Baptists are Baptists who hold the ''general'' or unlimited atonement view, the belief that Jesus Christ died for the entire world and not just for the chosen Election (Christianity), elect. General Baptists are theologically Arminian, whic ...

minister, biographer, and journalist.

Life

Kimber was born at

Wantage Wantage () is a historic market town and civil parish in Oxfordshire, England. Although within the boundaries of the historic county of Berkshire, it has been administered as part of the Vale of White Horse district of Oxfordshire since 1974. T ...

, Berkshire, on 1 December 1692. He studied languages under John Ward, and took a course of philosophy and divinity under

John Eames John Eames (2 February 1686 – 29 June 1744) was an English Dissenting tutor. Life Eames was born in London on 2 February 1686. He was admitted to Merchant Taylors' School on 10 March 1696–7, and was subsequently trained for the dissenting m ...

. In 1719 he voted with the nonsubscribers at

Salters' Hall The Worshipful Company of Salters is one of the Livery Company, Livery Companies of the City of London, 9th in order of precedence. The Company originated as the Guild of Corpus Christi, which was granted a Royal Charter of incorporation in 139 ...

. Kimber's first settlement as minister was early in 1722, as assistant to Joseph Burroughs, at Paul's Alley,

Barbican A barbican (from fro, barbacane) is a fortified outpost or fortified gateway, such as at an outer fortifications, defense perimeter of a city or castle, or any tower situated over a gate or bridge which was used for defensive purposes. Europe ...

; he was an unimpressive preacher, and, very near-sighted, he eventually lost the sight of one eye. He left Paul's Alley on 28 June 1724, and became assistant to Samuel Acton at

Nantwich Nantwich ( ) is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East in Cheshire, England. It has among the highest concentrations of listed buildings in England, with notably good examples of Tudor and Georgian architecture. ...

, Cheshire. He left Nantwich in 1727, and became assistant to the General Baptist congregation in Old Artillery Lane, London, and also at a neighbouring congregation. On the amalgamation of the two groups, he left the active ministry. Kimber then started a periodical called ''The Morning Chronicle'', which lasted from January 1728 to May 1732. In 1734 Ward made over his school near Moorfields to Kimber and Edward Sandercock; but then it declined within a few years, and Kimber took to writing for the booksellers. He edited ''

The London Magazine ''The London Magazine'' is the title of six different publications that have appeared in succession since 1732. All six have focused on the arts, literature and miscellaneous topics. 1732–1785 ''The London Magazine, or, Gentleman's Monthly I ...

'' from 1732 and for the rest of his life, a position taken over by his son Edward. Charles Ackers, a printer and the publisher of the ''London Magazine'', was a major supporter. Kimber died of

apoplexy Apoplexy () is rupture of an internal organ and the accompanying symptoms. The term formerly referred to what is now called a stroke. Nowadays, health care professionals do not use the term, but instead specify the anatomic location of the bleedi ...

early in 1755; his funeral sermon was preached at Paul's Alley by Joseph Burroughs on 9 February.

Works

Among Kimber's publications were: * ''The Life of Oliver Cromwell'', 1724 (six editions); a French translation appeared in 1725. * ''An Abridgement of the History of England'', 1745. Posthumous were: * ''Twenty Sermons'', 1756. * ''Sermons'', 1758 (with life). Kimber edited the ''Works'' (1729, 2 vols.) of

William Beveridge William Henry Beveridge, 1st Baron Beveridge, (5 March 1879 – 16 March 1963) was a British economist and Liberal politician who was a progressive and social reformer who played a central role in designing the British welfare state. His 194 ...

, prefixing a ''Life''; and contributed the account of the reign of George II to the 1740 edition of the ''Medulla Historiæ Anglicanæ'' of William Howell. He edited Robert Ainsworth's ''Latin Dictionary'' (1751). At Nantwich Kimber published (1727) a funeral sermon for Mrs. Milton. She has been identified as Elizabeth Minshull, widow of

John Milton John Milton (9 December 1608 – 8 November 1674) was an English poet and intellectual. His 1667 epic poem '' Paradise Lost'', written in blank verse and including over ten chapters, was written in a time of immense religious flux and political ...

; but this has also been disputed.

Family

Kimber married, and was father of

Edward Kimber Edward Kimber (1719–1769) was an English novelist, journalist and compiler of reference works. Life He was son of Isaac Kimber; and in early life apprentice to a bookseller, John Noon of Cheapside. He made a living by compilation and editorial ...

. His wife Anna suffered from mental illness, for 23 years. Edward was the second of five sons, of whom the eldest was also called Isaac; the other three died young.

Notes

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Kimber, Isaac 1692 births 1755 deaths English Baptists English male journalists English biographers Dissenting academy tutors People from Wantage Male biographers