Faulk County, SD Biographies.....Jarvis, Matthew J. 1850 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 10, 2005, 3:09 pm

Author: C. H. Ellis


    MATTHEW J. JARVIS was born in Baraboo, Wis., on May 14, 1850, of English

parentage. Moved with his parents to Columbus, Ohio, when he was about two years

old and came west with them in 1859 to Richland City, Wisconsin. He afterward

moved to and lived at Madison, Sun Prairie, Richland Center and Cazenovia,

Wisconsin. At the latter place he learned the millers trade and always worked at

it until he came west in the spring of 1880.



    On Christmas Day, in 1876, he was married to Abbie Ann Hall, at Reedsburg,

Wisconsin. To them were born five children: Matthew J., S. Hall, Annette,

Lucretia and Maggie Belle, the last dying in infancy.



  In February, 1880, he shipped from LaValle, Wisconsin to Tracy, Minnesota,

that being as far as trains ran that spring, although the track was laid as far

as' Volga, South Dakota. From there he drove overland to Pipestone, Minnesota,

and from there to Mitchell, South Dakota, where he arrived ahead of the

railroad. From there he went to Huron, helped lay out the townsite, and oh July

4th, 1880, read the declaration of independence the first time it was ever read

in Beadle county.



    In August, 1880, he moved to Redfield and built the first house there, then

known as the Jarvis house, now as the New Central House. Was joined by his wife

from Wisconsin, about September 1, with his two boys and there on the townsite

of Redfield, alone, they put in that hard winter of 1880 and 1881, living on

wheat ground in a coffee mill and antelope meat.



    He was the chairman of the first convention ever held at Redfield, sent the

first express and received the first express ever received at that office.



    On August 21, 1883, moved to his farm in this county and has ever since

resided in the county.



    Mr. Jarvis located government land in this county on the first day of

August, 1883. On November 9th, 1883, was appointed on the first board of

commissioners to perfect the organization of the new county, and since that time

has been actively identified with the social and political affairs of Faulk

county. Since leaving his farm and removing to Faulkton he has been engaged in

the drug business, owning a drug store and doing a general land business. For

the last four years he has owned a hotel in Faulkton. He has been mayor of the

city for four years.





Additional Comments:
From:



HISTORY OF

FAULK COUNTY

SOUTH DAKOTA

CAPTAIN C. H. ELLIS



TOGETHER WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PIONEERS AND PROMINENT CITIZENS



ILLUSTRATED

19O9

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