The western sentinel., 1894-04-26
SENATOR JARVIS LIFE.
HAS BEEN HONORED MANY TINES
BY HIS NATIVE STATE
Legislator, Northumberland and
GoycrIor-A Brilliant Campaisher
and a Popular Speaker.

| From Jerome DOWd S Sketches of Prominent
| North Carolinians.
I Among the first settlers who pene-
! trated the uEbroken forests of Albe-
marie about the middle of the seven
veenth century was Thomas Jarvis.
| and from that time to the present
the name has been IL familiar one to
! the people of tn 1T section. During
! tie revolutionary war Gen. Samuel
| Jarvis led the forces Of that district
| to the rendezvous on Deep River to
cover expected operations from South
| Carolina. A scion of the same family
| is Thomas JordOn Jarvis, who was
| born in Currituck county, on January
| 18th, 1896. Straitened circumstances
| denied him the advantages of early
education, but by the aid of friends
| he entered Randolph-Macon College.
and with money earned by teaching
| at intervals, he completed his course
! there, graduating in 1860, when he
again established himself as a teacher.
In June, 1861, when the State called
upon her sons for volunteers, he closed
his school in PaSquotank county and
enlisted as Il soldier for the war. His
service was in both the 18th and the
Sth Regiment of State Troops, and as
Captain of Il company in the latter
regiment he displayed fortitude, en-
duraGce and bravery that were not ex-
celled by any OF his associates in arms.
He was an excellent Soldier-bravc,
cool, determined and unflinching in
the presence of danger. Called to en-
dure many perilS and viciSsitudeS he
escaped lnScatched until on the l7th
of May, 1864, at .Drury'S Bluff, he re-
| ceived wound that disabled him,
| and since then his right arm has hung
aralyZed and useless at his side
When peace came, he turned to
mercantile pursuits and opened Il
store in TyrrelI county, at the same
| time studying law and entering quick
ly upon the activities of life. In the
fall of 1865 he was elected to the State
Convention from Currituck, and thus
began his career as a public man. OBJ
tanning his license the following year,
he entered zealOuSly upon the practice
of the law, evincing, however, patri-
otic interest in those political queS-
tions which so deeply agitated the
people of the State at that period.
In 1868 he was elected as Demo-
crat to the Legislature, from Tyrrell,
and in the fall made an extensive can
vass as an Elector on the Seymour
and Blair ticket. When the Leuis-
laturc met, he allied himself with
John w. Graham, Plate Durham, JAS
L. Robinson and the few other Demo-
Gratis of that body, in strenuous oppo-
SitiGn to the measures of the Repub bli-
can majority. They were but hand
ful of gallant spirits who threw them
selves in tue breach; but they stood
| steadfaSt, unmoyable in their adher
cuce to the interests of the State, and
rs the session grew, so arose the fame
| OF these young men, whose position
gave them leadership in the Demo
| cratic party, and whose wisdom and
| prudence and sterling worth won
them the confidence of the people.
! Their triumph in establishing the
Bragg Phillips Investigating Commit
| tee and in repeating the special tax
| laws, was complete, and the people
| loved to do them honor. To their
action was largely due the course of
events which eliminated in Il Water
| loo defeat of the Republicans at the
| ensuing election, the paciticatiOn OF
the State at that early date, and the
soon upon an era of quiet and pros
| perity. When the new Assembly met,
Capt. Jarvis was rendered the Speak
| er'S chair-and he discharged With
marked address and acccptability the
| delicate duties: Of that post. The
Democratic-Conservative party WAS
| then in formative state, and the
speaker exercised great Influence in
welding the discordant fragments of
the old parties into solid and endur-
ing organization. At the end Of that
| Assembly in 1872 he returned to the
! law, forming partnership with
| David NJ. Carter-but canvassed the
| State as an electOr on the Greeley
ticket. Three years later he was II
member of the Constitutional Con-
vention, from, Pitt, and to his address
and the prudence of Gov. Reid WIS
due the power of the Democracy to
yUl,i ,it.h ,l,,
divided between the parties.
In 1876 Gov. Vance was nominated
for Governor and Capt. Jarvis placed
on the ticket with him, making again
an extensive canvass throughout the
| western counties. Two years later lie
succeeded Gov. Vance, and on the eX-
piration of that term, he was chosen
Governor by the people for full
term; During these SIX years in
which he was Governor he i'm
| pressed himself more on tue ac-
tive industries of the State than
| any other Governor we have ever had.
| n council he was prudent and search
ing: in action bold and progressive.
He believed that the people looked to
the occupant of the executive office to
| give directi1 On to public measures, and
| he was not afraid to assume RESPONSE
| bility. When he saw IL duty clearly,
he pressed forward vigorously to its
| full discharge, and he regarded that
the Governor of the State was in some
measure the head OF the party as well
as the director of public affairs. In
every political campaign he largely
| participated giving detailed ac-
! count of his stewardship and demand
| ing public confidence in his admins
| tration because of it's cleanncSS, integ-
rity and rigid performance of every
duty aud strict adherence to every
| pledge. lie knew no favoI ite section
| in his duties as Governor, but worked
persistently for the benefit and ad-
| vantage of all sections. He secured
| the adoption of the county govern
ment system for the East-thc con-
struction of the Western N G. Rail-
road for the West. And, indeed. it
may be asserted that no State can boast
a more splendid administration than
| that OF Gov. Jarvis-One in which,
| considering the poor facilities and Grip
| pied resources at hand, more has been
accomplished for the erection of pub
| lie institutions, for the advancement
| Of education and for the promotion of
| beneficient public purposes and the
| establishment of industrial prOSperi
! ty. On his retirement from the execu-
tive Office, he was appointed by Presi-
dent Cleveland U. S. Minister to
| Brazil.
Gov. Jarvis is by no means a brill
| iant man, but he is a logical. reasoner
mind capable of comprehending the
details of the most complicated sub
ject. AS a speaker, he is slow and
deliberate; plain in his statements,
but forcible in expressions; ready with
| hOmely illustrations and convincing