Family Nibbles

Harvey and Sarah Jarvis moved a few miles north into Ripley County. But there’s a bit more to the story.

Milton T. Jarvis was the youngest child of Harvey and Sarah, born in 1836. He was six years Joseph’s junior brother.

Milton married Lima Jane Voris, a neighbor, in 1862. Tragically, Lima Jane died less than a year later, perhaps in childbirth. In July 1864, Milton married Mary Ann Hankins, another neighbor.

By 1870, Milton and Mary Ann had two children and were living next door to Harvey and Sarah Jarvis on their farm in Jefferson County.

In 1870, Harvey and Sarah were in their late 60s. Milton and Mary Ann looked after their needs. Harvey and Sarah developed a close relationship and dependence on them, especially on Mary Ann.

1876 – Deed the farm to Mary Ann

In 1876, Harvey and Sarah deeded their land to Mary Ann in return for lifetime care.

The first part of the deed reads like any other, where Harvey and Sarah Jarvis convey and warrant to Mary A Jarvis the following real estate…

But there is no payment of money. Instead, Mary Ann promises to take care of them for the rest of their lives.

“The condition of this deed is as follows to wit: I, Mary A Jarvis of the second part doth agree to keep the said Harvey Jarvis and Sarah his wife during their Natural lives to board and to Clothe and to furnish them through sickness and health, and to pay all Doctor Bills and Burial Expenses and attend to their wants, whatever it may be and to Committ no waste on said Premises in Witness whereof we have bound ourselves for the faithful performance of the same this 25 day of September 1876.“

If Mary Ann doesn’t meet her obligations, the land goes back to Harvey and Sarah.

“If this article is complied with then this to remain in full force and if not then said land to remit back to the said Jarvis.“

That’s progressive long term care insurance. But I’m intrigued that son Milton isn’t part of the contract. Just daughter-in-law Mary Ann. Aren’t you?

1879 – A move to Ripley County

After the legal wranglings to deed Harvey and Sarah’s Jefferson County farm to their daughter-in-law Mary Ann, Harvey and Sarah purchased a 40 acre farm a few miles north in Ripley County in 1879. Milton and Mary Ann and family moved with them.

The farm is midway between Benham’s Store and Cross Plains. Notice that Lafayette and Rebecca Jarvis moved too. Their farm is two miles west of Harvey and Sarah’s.

The map shows a sorghum mill on Harvey’s farm. Maybe Milton and Harvey operated the mill.

Why did they move? I don’t know. We don’t have the deed, so we don’t know if there was any arrangement with Mary Ann and Milton for long-term care. But the record shows the sale from James Lemon to Harvey Jarvis, with no mention of Mary Ann.

1880 Census

In the 1880 US Census, Milton and Mary Ann Jarvis and their children were living with Harvey and Sarah on the 40 acre farm in Ripley County. Harvey and Sarah were in their late 70s, so they probably required some care from Mary Ann.

Here’s the farm today.

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There are two dilapidated structures on the property.  Neither looks like a house.  Maybe they are part of the Sorghum Mill that was mentioned in the plat map.

What happened to the Jefferson County farm?

After the move to Ripley County, Mary Ann and Milton sold the 20 acre Jefferson County farm to Wallace Connell for $290.

Did the farm sale end Mary Ann’s obligation for long term care? Or is there a new arrangement?

We’ll see how it turns out.

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Sources

• Census – Harvey and Sarah Jarvis – 1870 – Ancestry.com
• Marriage license – Milton Jarvis and Liny Jane Voris – 1862 – Ripley County Clerk, Versailles, Indiana
• Marriage license – Milton Jarvis and Mary Ann Hankins – 1864 – Ripley County Clerk, Versailles, Indiana
• Deed – Harvey and Sarah Jarvis to Mary A Jarvis – 1876 – Jefferson County Recorder’s Office – Madison, Indiana
• Map composite – Harvey Jarvis farm in Ripley County – Map of Ripley County, Indiana – 1883 – D.J. Lake and Co. – Historic Map Works – http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/23857/Brown++Cross+Plains++Olean++Friendship/Ripley+County+1883/Indiana/
• Map – Harvey Jarvis farm in Ripley County – Google Maps 2021
• Deed Transfer – Harvey Jarvis from James W Lemon – Ripley County – 1879 – Ripley County Recorder’s Office – Versailles, Indiana
• Deed – Mary A and Milton Jarvis to Wallace Connell – 1876 – Jefferson County Recorder’s Office – Madison, Indiana
• Photos of Harvey Jarvis farm – Mark Jarvis – January 2015