Thomas Jordan Jarvis

Thomas Jordan Jarvis (January 18, 1836 – June 17, 1915) was the 44th governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1879 to 1885. Jarvis served as a U.S. Senator from 1894 to 1895. A white supremacist, he spoke and wrote widely in support of the white supremacy campaign of 1898. In 1907, he helped establish East Carolina Teachers Training School, now known as East Carolina University.

Biography

Early years Born in Jarvisburg, North Carolina, in Currituck County, he was the son of Elizabeth Daley and Bannister Hardy Jarvis, a Methodist minister and farmer and brother of George, Ann, Margaret, and Elizabeth. His family was of English descent; ancestors included Thomas Jarvis, lieutenant governor of Albemarle during the government of Philip Ludwell between 1691 and 1697; and Samuel Jarvis, who led the militia of Albemarle during his fight in the Revolutionary War. Jarvis's father owned a 300-acre farm, where the family "had the necessities of life but few of the luxuries". He "supported establishing a system of county superintendents of education elected by boards of education, grades of teacher certification, standards of examinations for public school teachers, and lists of recommended textbooks. Also, Funds for the mental institutions continued to increase, and the laws of North Carolina were for the first time codified and state insurance laws fully defined. Also, was built a governor's mansion". While not directly involved, Jarvis's political rhetoric may have contributed to the Wilmington massacre, a violent coup d'état by white supremacists. They expelled opposition black and white political leaders from the city, destroyed the property and businesses of black citizens built up since the Civil War, including the only black newspaper in the city, and killed an estimated 60 to more than 300 people.

Jarvis was instrumental in the 1907 founding of what is now East Carolina University in Greenville, where the oldest residential hall on campus is named in his memory.

He reopened his law firm and in 1912, he founded a partnership with Frank Wooten.

He died at his home in Greenville on June 17, 1915.

Legacy In addition to the ECU residence hall, a local United Methodist church and a street in Greenville are named in his memory. At one time, several personal artifacts were on display at the church.

Personal life Jarvis married Mary Woodson in December 1874.