Alma Cecilia Sellon Jarvis 1852-1904

JARVIS, SELLON

Posted By: Deb (email)
Date: 4/19/2015 at 21:23:28

Good Life Ended
Mrs. Cecilia Jarvis Passed Away Yesterday
Mrs. Cecelia Jarvis, one of Burlington’s most beloved women, passed away yesterday at her home, No. 1901 West avenue. She had been confined to her bed for several weeks, but her illness dates back to a considerably longer period. She was the wife of H.E. Jarvis, private secretary to President C.E. Perkins of the Burlington railroad.

Mrs. Jarvis was 52 years of age, has resided in this city about thirty-five years, and was foremost in all work that would contribute to the good and welfare of the people. She was a prominent member of the Sheldon circle of the King’s Daughters. In fact, one of the charter members of that organization and one of the most earnest workers. Much of the good that has been accomplished by the circle can be traced directly to the untiring efforts of Mrs. Jarvis who threw herself into the good cause heart and soul. When the Y.W.C.A. was organized in this city Mrs. Jarvis was one of its warmest advocates and assisted materially in giving the new society good start. She was a member of the Latter Day Saints church and active in all church work.

In her home life Mrs. Jarvis was an ideal wife and mother. She took great pride in her family and the love and affection she bestowed was reciprocated a hundred fold. It is a sad blow to the little family circle and they have the sympathy of the entire community in their bereavement. Besides her husband she is survived by four children. They are: Fred, of Tacoma, Wash., private secretary to C.M. Levey; Herbert, who is attending school at Purdue, Ind.; Caroline, who is teaching in the college at Lamoni, Ia., and Edith, at home. (Burlington Evening Gazette, Burlington, IA, March 14, 1904)

Mrs. H.E. Jarvis Dead
Far beyond the limits of the family home, there will be mourners for Cecilia Jarvis. She was a model woman, one whose influence for good cannot be expressed in words, nor measured nor weighed by systems that human minds have devised. She was a native of the Empire state, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.R. Sellon. She was fifty-two years of age; was educated in the Burlington schools, a graduate of the high school in January, 1874. Deceased was the wife of Mr. Harry E. Jarvis, private secretary to President Perkins of the Burlington route. She was a prominent member of the Sheldon circle of the King’s Daughters, an earnest worker in the W.Y.C.A., and had always exerted an influence for good in the community. She leaves many relatives and friends and the following children: Fred of Tacoma, Wash., private secretary to C.M. Levey; Herbert, who is attending school at Purdue, Ind.; Caroline, who is teaching in the college at Lamoni, Ia., and Edith, at home. The date of the funeral has not yet been set, but it will probably be near the close of the week. (Burlington Hawk Eye, Burlington, IA, March 15, 1904)

Obituary
Died – Jarvis, Alma Cecilia, wife of Harry E. Jarvis, at twenty-minutes after one, Sunday afternoon, March 13, 1904, aged 51 years, 5 months and 13 days.

Alma Cecilia Sellon, the oldest daughter of Col. W.R. Sellon, was born in New York city August 31, 1852. During her early childhood, the family removed to Michigan, and later to Pittsfield, Ill. A the close of the war they came to Burlington, where the remainder of her life was passed, with the exception of three years in Southern California, 1892-4, where she went with her children for the benefit of her health, her husband remaining in Burlington. She graduated from the Burlington High school in the class of 1973, then spent a year in the normal department, and the years 1874-5 as a teacher in West Madison school.

On October 19, 1875, she was united in marriage with Harry E. Jarvis. Five children have been born to them, one (Ruth) dying in infancy. The four living are Frederic S., now with the Northern Pacific Railway company at Tacoma, Wash.; Carolyn B., a member of the faculty of Graceland college, Lamoni, Iowa; Herbert C., a sophomore at Purdue university; and Edith A., at home with her parents.

Mrs. Jarvis was reared in the Episcopalian faith, but in November, 1885, she was baptized into the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, of which she had ever since been a faithful and consistent member. She was much interested in the Sunday School work, so far as her frail health would permit, and at the time of her death was the superintendent of the Sunday School in their church here.

She became a member of The King’s Daughters while in California, and has ever since been interested in that work. She joined the Sheldon Circle at its organization, was at once elected its treasurer, and held that position up to the time of her death and was one of the most active and earnest promoters of the special work for which that Circle was organized, that is, the Rest Rooms and work for women and children, and, as treasurer of the Circle, had must to do with the success of the Rest Rooms during the nearly three years when they were conducted by the Sheldon Circle. On account of her failing health, and that of several other of the active members of the Circle, in great part occasioned by their efforts on behalf of the Rest Rooms she suggested the formation of a Young Women’s Christian association, so that the special work for which the Sheldon Circle had formed might be carried on with a larger membership and upon a more extended and permanent basis; and it was largely through her efforts that the Burlington Y.W.C.A. was organized, and the Sheldon Circle turned over to it its plant and goodwill.

Mrs. Jarvis was also a member of the Woman’s Auxiliary of the Y.M.C.A. and of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. She was the president of the City Union of The King’s Daughters from June, 1899, to February 1901, when she was obliged to resign on account of a severe illness. At the last two annual state conventions of The Kings Daughters, she declined the office of state secretary on account of her impaired health, but accepted the office of chairman of the committee on child labor; and, at the time she was taken sick in January, was engaged in securing petitions through the various local unions in the state for the child labor bill introduced at the present session of the general assembly.

Her father, Colonel Sellon, is still living, and has made his home with her for several years past. Of his family there still remain her two sisters, Mrs. H.A. Stebbins, of Lamoni, Iowa, and Mrs. C.D. Cramer, of Wilmette, Illinois, who are now at her home, and one brother, Brodie R. Sellon, of Floriston, California.

Mrs. Jarvis’ health has never been very good, and her life was largely confined to her home. Of a gentle and retiring disposition, she did not appear much in society, fining her greatest happiness in caring for her family and home, but whether in the family, the church, or the community, her influence was always strong for the right. She loved nature, the trees, the birds, the flowers, and always rejoiced in the evidences of God’s love about her. Her most marked characteristics were sympathy, patience, loving kindness, and her consideration for others, which endeared her to all who had the privilege of her acquaintance, and many, both high and low, will sincerely mourn the loss of the friend whose life went out as peacefully and serenely as the close of a summer day. The gentle influences of her character will grow stronger as the years go by.

Her last illness, which began with an attack of the grippe, and soon became complicate with chronic gastritis, while protracted through seven weeks, was singularly free from pain, which enabled her to be taken care of entirely by members of her own family, much to her comfort and satisfaction. She was not supposed to be in any serious danger until within the last twenty-four hours of her illness, so that neither of her sons was with her when the end came; but Herbert had been with her for a day the previous week, and Frederick had spent several days at home just prior to his departure for the Pacific coast a month ago. He left Tacoma Sunday night, on receipt of the message, and is expected to reach home to-day, but on account of the possible delays incident to so long a journey at this season, the funeral services will not take place until Saturday afternoon, at 2:30 o’clock, from the family residence, No. 1901 West avenue, to which friends are invited. The interment will be private. (Burlington Hawk Eye, Burlington, IA, March 17, 1904)

Mrs. Dora Cramer and sons of Wilmette, Ill., are in the city to attend the funeral of the late Mrs. Harry Jarvis. Mr. and Mrs. Walter Jarvis and child will arrive to-day from Boston and Fred Jarvis arrived this morning from Tacoma, Wash. (Burlington Evening Gazette, Burlington, IA, March 17, 1904)