The St. Johnsbury Caledonian (St. Johnsbury, VT), September 7, 1893

JARVIS JEWETT

In the interesting reminiscences of early St. Johnsbury that have appeared in the CALEDONIAN from the pen of Rev. S. Graves, mention has been made of Rev. Luther Jewett, M.D., and Calvin Jewett, M.D.
These brothers were sons of Daniel Jewett, who came to Vermont from Connecticut, bringing, according to tradition, one hundred silver dollars with which he bought one hundred acres of Vermont land.
The children of Luther Jewett were ten in number, none of whom are now living. The children of Calvin Jewett who survived infancy were eight. Of the daughters three survive. Jarvis Jewett, whose death occurred at San Francisco, Cal., August 22, 1893, was the last of the sons. He was born n St. Johnsbury in 1817, being at the time of his death 75 years and 11 months old.
In his early manhood he was a merchant in Barnet. When the news of the discovery of gold in California reached New England he was residing in McIndoe’s Falls. He was among the earliest to start for California, leaving New York on a ship taking the route around Cape Horn. On the coast of South America the ship was wrecked, causing a delay to the impatient Argonauts of several months.
He reached the Golden Gate and landed in Yerba Buena, the site of San Francisco, on the twenty-first of October, 1849.
He at once went to the mines and later returned to San Francisco, where for several years he owned a “Bulletin route,” which brought him a large revenue.
Allured by the prospect of larger returns, he gave up this business and invested in a mine that proved to have a great capacity for absorbing what he had possessed, without yielding any returns.
Throughout his later life his fortunes fluctuated. The speculative spirit of the early Californian was his in large measure. He was by nature an optimist, and seemed seldom discouraged by the frequent reverses which he experienced. But alike in prosperity and in adversity he was a man of generous heart and of Christian faith. His business for many years past has called him into various parts of the state, but wherever he might be, he was found on the Sabbath and on Wednesday evening in the place of Christian worship. He was a member successively of the Congregational church in McIndoe’s Falls, the First Church in San Francisco, and the Second in Oakland, where he had been superintendent of the Sunday School and at the time of his death held the office of deacon.
On the 21st of June, 1859, he was married to Miss Catherine Beattie of Ryegate, daughter of James and Margaret Beattie. Mrs. Jewett and their daughter, Mrs. Jennie Nicholson, survive him. Mr. Jewett will be recalled pleasantly by the elder citizens of St. Johnsbury and Barnet. He leaves many warm friends in California and an honored name in the Christian church. His funeral service was conducted by Rev. John Kimball (a native of Barton) and Rev. Henry E. Jewett.
H.E.J.