The bulk of the Kimball Family Papers, 1821-1917, reflects the business activities of the Kimball brothers, Edward Dearborn (1810-1867), Elbridge Gerry (1816-1849), and Nathaniel A. (1822-1862). In addition to their West African coast and East Indian trade, their business ventures included the transportation of produce and lumber along coastal New England and on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. The collection has been divided into five series.

Series I. Ships' Papers, 1832-1866, contains papers for the bulk of the vessels owned by the Kimballs. These papers, arranged alphabetically by name of ship, document the shipping business which the brothers conducted to the west coast of Africa, the East Indies, Pacific Islands, South America, and Asia. Of special note are the papers of the bark Salem, owned by Benjamin Knight of Ohio, whose Salem business was overseen by Edward. The miscellaneous ships' papers contain records for ships chartered or cargo consigned on non-Kimball vessels. Amongst these ships are vessels owned by David Pingree.

Series II. Correspondence, 1837-1866, includes a letterbook, intra-firm correspondence, correspondence with partners, agents, merchants, and miscellaneous shipping, lumber, and business correspondents. Subseries A. Letterbook (1846-1849) includes Elbridge's letters to ship masters, merchants, and agents.

Subseries B. Partners' and Agents' Correspondence includes letters between firm members and partners, and correspondence with shipping agents in Bathurst, Cape Coast, Accra, Sierra Leone, Havana, Jamestown, Marietta (Ohio), and Maine.

In order to reflect the Kimball brothers' various shipping trades, Subseries C. Merchants' Correspondence has been divided into regions and ports: foreign, domestic, prices current, and miscellaneous (see Appendix III for merchant houses, ports, and dates). Of special interest in miscellaneous foreign merchant correspondence are letters from the Kimball's nephew O.K. Gordon in Shanghai in which he tells of Chinese rebellions in 1860. Correspondence from New England merchants dominates the correspondence in miscellaneous United States cities. Of note here are letters from fellow Salem shipping merchant Charles Hoffman. Also located here are letters to and from merchants in unidentified cities.

Subseries D. Miscellaneous Shipping Correspondence contains letters regarding the potential sale or purchase of vessels, shipbuilding instructions, letters concerning crews aboard Kimball ships, and miscellaneous correspondence relating to ship cargoes. Additional references to shipbuilding may be found with the correspondence of Ohio partners and agents.

Subseries E. Lumbering Correspondence is generated from lumber operations in August, Belfast, and Bangor, Maine in which the Kimball brothers and David Pingree had an interest or for which they provided supplies. These letters discuss the obtainment of supplies, shipment of lumber, and the administration of the camps.

Subseries F. Miscellaneous Business Correspondence includes correspondence with Edward's former partner Stephen Hoyt, letters concerning the Naumkeag Steam Cotton Mills and the Salem Five Cent Savings Bank (Edward was president of both), the administration of the family farm in Plaistow, New Hampshire, the estate of brother-in-law Sewall Brown and uncle Dr. Edward Dearborn, the establishment of the Dearborn Academy, financial guardianship of Lizzie Swasey, interest in coal mines, and 1862 letters regarding the manufacture of guns for the Union Army.

Series III. Financial Records, 1830-1866, contains account books, insurance policies, and financial papers. Several of the earlier account books were maintained by Elbridge. One miscellaneous account book contains transactions of the Naumkeag Bank. Whereas the insurance policies on vessels or cargo are located in Series I. Ships' Papers, those on warehouses are filed here. Within bills and receipts are included outfitting bills and miscellaneous merchant receipts for the purchase or sale of goods.

Series IV. Family Papers, 1821-1908, contains the personal and legal records of Nathaniel (1777-1821), Sarah (Knight), Edward Dearborn, Elbridge Gerry, Nathaniel A., and Frank Reed Kimball. Within Edward's papers is his diary from a trip to South America on board the brig Ganges. His legal and estate papers include insurance on his dwelling house and the Calvary Church in Danvers (of which he was secretary), a power of attorney regarding the dissolution of his early firm Hoyt and Kimball, and estate accounts for Sewall Brown. Additional correspondence regarding the Brown estate's settlement is located in Series II. Subseries F. Miscellaneous Business Correspondence. Elbridge's papers include a diary from his journey to Africa and India (1838-1840), correspondence discussing the business of the family farm, and letters from his brothers Edward Kimball and David Pingree. Of note in Nathaniel's (1822-1862) papers are estate papers for Phebe Dearborn and John Swasey, and Nathaniel's auditor reports for the Dearborn Academy. Frank Reed Kimball's papers include financial and legal papers for the final years of the New York and Boston Manufacturing Company of which Frank was president. Additional personal bills and receipts may be located in Series III. Financial Records.

Series V. Miscellaneous papers contains miscellaneous papers and envelopes.