William W. Jarvis was a Madison County, Illinois native, born on 11 March 1842, the fourth child of Wesley Jarvis, a farmer.
 His grandfather, John Jarvis, was an early Troy Settler and was one of the first practical abolitionists in Madison County.
 On 10 Sept 1814, John Jarvis and Titus Gregg made the first entries of land that would become the current city of Troy.
 The township in which the city is located still bears his name.
 William built the house in 1867, in anticipation of his marriage to Ms. Sarah Barnsback on 23 Dec of that year.
The property, on which the home sits in its original location, was a 13-acre land grant given by President Monroe, approximately two acres of which remain.

By all accounts, Jarvis received a good business education in the schools of Troy.
 In 1861, as the Civil War broke out, he was an early volunteer for the Union Army, Company One, Ninth Illinois Infantry.
 After serving an initial three-month enlistment, he re-enlisted for three years and mustered out as a Sergeant in 1864.
 He served in nearly all of the Ninth’s 110 engagements with distinction, was wounded twice, and was taken captive by the enemy twice.
 After the war, he took up farming and studied law.
William W. Jarvis was a Madison County, Illinois native, born on 11 March 1842, the fourth child of Wesley Jarvis, a farmer.  His grandfather, John Jarvis, was an early Troy Settler and was one of the first practical abolitionists in Madison County.  On 10 Sept 1814, John Jarvis and Titus Gregg made the first entries of land that would become the current city of Troy.  The township in which the city is located still bears his name.  William built the house in 1867, in anticipation of his marriage to Ms. Sarah Barnsback on 23 Dec of that year. The property, on which the home sits in its original location, was a 13-acre land grant given by President Monroe, approximately two acres of which remain.
By all accounts, Jarvis received a good business education in the schools of Troy.  In 1861, as the Civil War broke out, he was an early volunteer for the Union Army, Company One, Ninth Illinois Infantry.  After serving an initial three-month enlistment, he re-enlisted for three years and mustered out as a Sergeant in 1864.  He served in nearly all of the Ninth’s 110 engagements with distinction, was wounded twice, and was taken captive by the enemy twice.  After the war, he took up farming and studied law.
William W. Jarvis House