The house at 144 East Plymouth Road in East Plymouth was built c. 1800. From 1827 to c. 1860 it was owned by Josiah Kimberly, a tanner and shoemaker. Kimberly took over the tannery business begun in East Plymouth by the Gaylord and Tuttle families. His son Eber E. Kimberly would continue in his father’s trade. Located at 148 East Plymouth Road is the house built c. 1870 by Eber’s son, Frederick Kimberly. As described in Francis Atwater’s History of the Town of Plymouth, Connecticut (1895):
The elder Cyrus Gaylord above alluded to, at one time also did carding in a building near the dam now standing on the same stream a short distance from his house, Josiah Kimberly at the same time using a part of the building for a tannery.
Somewhat later Mr. Kimberly had a tannery on the same stream between the grist mill and Stephen Blake’s. This tannery was afterwards conducted by Eber Kimberly.