René-Joseph Kimber


René-Joseph Kimber was a physician and political figure in Lower Canada and Canada East. His grandfather's surname was originally spelled Jékimbert.
He was born in Quebec City in 1786, the son of René Kimber, and studied at the Collège Saint-Raphaël at Montreal. He apprenticed in medicine at Trois-Rivières, qualified to practice in 1811 and set up practice at Trois-Rivières. In 1811, he married Apolline, the daughter of Montreal merchant Pierre Berthelet. Kimber served in the militia during the War of 1812 as an officer and surgeon. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada for Trois-Rivières in an 1832 by-election and was reelected in 1834. He supported the Ninety-Two Resolutions but did not support the use of force. Although he opposed the union of Upper and Lower Canada, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada for Champlain in 1841. In August 1843, he was named to the Legislative Council.
He died in Montreal in 1843.
His daughter Harline married Henry Judah, who represented Champlain in the legislative assembly after Kimber was named to the legislative council. His sister Clotilde married Charles Langevin, who represented Hampshire in the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada, after the death of her first husband.