Background
Jarvis was born on January 18, 1836, in Jarvisburg, North Carolina, the son of Bannister Hardy Jarvis, a Methodist minister, and Elizabeth Daly.
Jarvis was born on January 18, 1836, in Jarvisburg, North Carolina, the son of Bannister Hardy Jarvis, a Methodist minister, and Elizabeth Daly.
Jarvis's family were poor, but Thomas worked his way through Randolph-Macon College and received the degree of A. B. in 1860 and M. A. in 1861.
At the outbreak of the Civil War Jarvis was teaching in Pasquotank County. He enlisted, soon became a lieutenant in the 8th North Carolina Regiment, rose to captain in 1863, and was permanently disabled at Drewry's Bluff. After the war he opened a store in Tyrrel County and began to read law. He was a delegate to the convention of 1865 from Currituck. In 1867 he was licensed and in 1868 was elected to the lower house of the legislature. He was also a candidate for elector on the Democratic ticket. In the legislature he voted for the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment, but he was one of the small group of young Democrats who, contesting every move of the majority, and putting them on record in their misgovernment, hastened the overthrow of the Carpet-bag government. His courage, ability, and force attracted attention, and he was speaker of the House in the reform legislature of 1870. There Jarvis showed himself as constructive and restrained as he had been bold in the years 1868-1870. In 1872 he moved to Greenville. In that autumn he was candidate for elector on the Greeley ticket and canvassed the entire state. Three years later Jarvis was a member of the constitutional convention and exerted a large influence upon its work. Elected lieutenant-governor in 1876, he became governor upon the resignation of Vance in 1879 and was elected in 1880 for a full term. As governor he began executive leadership in North Carolina. Regarding himself as the responsible head of his party, Jarvis sought successfully to direct the work of the legislature. He was aggressive in behalf of public education, industrial development, and the relief of the unfortunate, and was an advocate of the construction of railroads. To facilitate railroad development, he persuaded the state to sell its interest in two roads. This meant the abandonment of state railroad operation. He was deeply interested in the welfare of the Negroes and did much to lessen race antagonism. During his administration two hospitals for the insane, one of them for Negroes, were built and other public works undertaken. He did much to secure increased appropriations for the University. From 1885 to 1889, by Cleveland's appointment, Jarvis was minister to Brazil, and in 1894 he was appointed to fill a vacancy of one year in the United States Senate. Jarvis died on June 17, 1915, in Greenville, North Carolina.
As a man Jarvis was plain and unassuming, thoroughly human, and had sound though not brilliant abilities. Tall and engagingly ugly, he was an impressive figure.
Jarvis was married, December 23, 1874, to Mary Woodson of Virginia, who survived him.
