James L. Jarvis Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1002, 1005 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and 
	was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				JAMES L. JARVIS. 

	Business enterprise finds a worthy, alert and energetic 
representative in James L. Jarvis, a hardware dealer of Brookings, who 
is also chairman of the board of county commissioners of Brookings 
county. He recognizes the duties and obligations as well as the 
privileges of citizenship and thus can find time from a growing 
business to devote to public service. He was born in South Bend, 
Indiana, on the 7th of January, 1860, a son of Eli and Lovina (Wyland) 
Jarvis, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of the Hoosier 
state. The father has been a lifelong farmer. After leaving the south 
he removed to Indiana and in 1860 went to Kansas but in 1862 took up 
his abode in Shelby county, Iowa, where he and his wife still make 
their home. 

	James L. Jarvis was educated in the public schools of Harlan, 
Iowa, and in the high school there and remained upon the home farm 
until he reached his twenty-first year. He then went to Wauseca, 
Minnesota, and a year later removed to Winona, Minnesota, where he 
worked at the carpenter's trade through the summer months, while in the 
winter he taught school. In 1881 he took up railroading and was 
employed by the Northwestern Railroad Company until 1883. In the fall 
of 1886 he came to South Dakota, settling at Langford, where he entered 
the service of the Dakota Lumber Company as manager of the yards, 
remaining in that position of trust and responsibility for five years. 
In 1891 he resigned his position and entered into partnership with J. 
C. Bassett of Aberdeen, South Dakota, opening a hardware store at 
Langford. Mr. Bassett, recognizing the ability of Mr. Jarvis, furnished 
him the requisite capital and for ten years the firm of Jarvis & 
Company did a prosperous business at that point. In 1901 Mr. Jarvis 
disposed of his interests there and removed to Brookings, where he 
established his present business, which has since been developed into 
one of the heading hardware houses of Brookings. He carries a large 
line of both shelf and heavy hardware and his patronage has grown from 
the beginning until his business has now reached large and gratifying 
proportions. 

	In the spring of 1883 Mr. Jarvis was united in marriage to Miss 
Vesta V. Sanford, of Winona, Minnesota, by whom he has one child, Ruth, 
now a high-school pupil of Brookings. Politically Ml. Jarvis is a 
republican, stanch in his advocacy of the principles of the party, and 
in 1908 he was elected to the board of county commissioners, where he 
made a creditable record, so that he was reelected to the board in 1912 
and was made its chairman in 1913. Mr. Jarvis is well known in 
fraternal circles, holding membership in Brookings Lodge, No. 34, F. & 
A. M., while he and his wife are members of Brookings Chapter, No. 15, 
O. E. S., of which he is the present patron. He likewise belongs to 
Brookings Lodge, No. 40, I. O. O. F., and has membership with the 
Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Modern Woodmen. He is likewise 
a member of the Brookings Commercial Club and is in full sympathy with 
its purposes to further the business interests of the city, extend its 
trade relations and uphold its municipal honor. He and his wife have 
been members of the First Presbyterian church for many years and Mr. 
Jarvis is serving as one of its elders. His life has been characterized 
by high and honorable principles and the record which he has made in 
every relation marks him as a man who never lowers his standards and 
one who pursues a course not because it is policy to do so, but because 
he believes in the value and efficacy of the path that he has marked 
out.