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Thornton Jarvis, farmer and stock trader of Jefferson County, Mo., was
born in Fleming County, Ky., in 1806, and is the fourth of ten children
born to Daniel and Martha (Thompson) Jarvis, who lived for many years 
in Kentucky, but spent the last of their days in Indiana.  Thornton was
reared in Kentucky, and received little or no educational advantages.
In 1826 he came West, landed in St. Louis when it was a mere village,
and soon came to Jefferson County, where he paid $150 for eighty acres
of land in Joachim Township, and here lived until 1883.  He then removed 

to Hillsboro.  He came to Jefferson County with very little means, but 

by labor and good management is now, perhaps, the heaviest taxpayer in 

the county.  At an early day he spent a number of years hauling lead
with an ox team from Sandy Mines to Herculaneum.  He has spent a very
successful career of sixty two years in the county, and is a prominent
and enterprising citizen.  He has been twice married, the first time a
few years after he came to Jefferson County, to Miss Martha Gaiter, who
died of cholera, in 1849.  In 1851 he married Miss Mary Ann, daughter
of Landen and Elizabeth Williams. Mr. Williams was born in South Carolina, 

and when young came at an early day to Jefferson County, where he was 

married, and where he passed a useful and enterprising life.  Mrs.
Williams was born in Missouri.  To Mr. Jarvis and wife seven children
were born, four now living: Daniel, Dora (wife of Joseph J. Hoeken),
Izella (wife of O. H. Donnell) and Charles T.  The two sons are living 
on the old homestead farm, and are in flourishing circumstances.  All
the children have had good educational advantages.  Mr. Jarvis is a
Democrat in politics, and cast his first presidential vote for Gen.
Jackson, in 1828.  He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and of 
the Baptist Church.  Mrs. Jarvis is a member of the Methodist Episcopal
Church South.