Charles Jarvis (Charles James)

Quick Facts

Significance:

Patriot of Color at the Battle of Bunker Hill

Place of Birth:

Newbury, Massachusetts(?)

Date of Birth:

Circa 1752

The following is from the 2004 National Park Service study Patriots of Color researched and prepared by George Quintal:

 

Charles Jarvis was born circa 1752.^I

He enlisted in the eight months’ service from Newbury 8 June 1775 in Capt. Benjamin Perkin’s company, in Col. Moses Little’s regiment. He is listed on the 1 August 1775 muster roll and on an October 1775 company return as:

age: 36

He is also listed on a 27 December 1775 'order for bounty coat or its equivalent in money.'^II

There is no record of 1776 service.

In 1777, he served from Newburyport in the 2d Essex County regiment of militia. With Gen. Burgoyne preparing to advance on northern New York, the call once again went out for soldiers to meet this serious threat. Transferring out of his militia unit, he joined the Continental Army on 15 February 1777 for a three-year term in Capt. Moses Greenleaf’s company in Col. Ebenezer Francis’ company. His company served at the Battle of Hubbardton (VT), on 7 July 1777, where his Colonel was killed. His regiment, under Col. Benjamin Tupper, also served at Saratoga. A 25 January 1778 return reports him ‘on command at Albany.’^III Tupper’s regiment also served at Valley Forge and at Monmouth.^IV Pay accounts show him serving from 1 January 1780 to 31 December 1780.^V There was some confusion in the rolls:^VI

James, Charles. Certificate dated West Point Aug. 31, 1779, signed by Maj. James Pettengill, certifying that Paul Coffin, a soldier in Col. Wesson’s regt., was in service before Aug. 15, 1777, but was left out of the roll through a mistake, said James being put in his place, that said James was transferred to Capt. Greenlief’s (Greenleaf’s) co., Col. Tupper’s regt, and was made up in both companies; therefore said Coffin was entitled to $100 gratuity in lieu of said James; also, Private, Capt. Joseph Pettengill’s co., Col. James Wesson’s regt.; company return [year not given]; reported a transient. [See Charles Jarvis.]

On 10 January 1780 he engaged 'for the war' and his name appears on the descriptive list of the 10th Massachusetts regiment in Capt. Nehemiah Emerson’s company:^VII

age: 27
stature: 5 ft. 8 in.
complexion: Black
hair: black
residence: Newburyport
engaged: November 1779 by Lieut. Col. Littlefield

He served in Tupper’s 10^th regiment from 1 January 1781 for 12 months^VIII and from 1 January 1782 for 12 months.^IX

The 1790 census of Boston lists him as head in a household of two free people of color, on white male of age sixteen or greater and three white females.^X

Footnotes:

1. Birth date backwardly-computed, based on age in military descriptive roll. Age 27 in January 1780 would indicate a birth year of 1752, but the 1775 descriptive roll lists him as age 36. The later, more complete, description is used. NOTE: There is a very good chance this man is the same man as Jamaica James.
2. Secretary of Commonwealth. Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War (1896-1908), 8:725, listed as ‘Jarvis.’ Also 2-CD Family Tree Maker^TM set “Military Records: Revolutionary War.”
3. Ibid; during this tour he resided in Newburyport but was credited to the town of Newbury.
4. Walling, Richard S. “Men of Color at the Battle of Monmouth” (1994). Pamphlet. 17.
5. Secretary of Commonwealth. Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War (1896-1908), 8:725. Also 2-CD Family Tree Maker^TM set “Military Records: Revolutionary War.”
6. Ibid 8:708
7. Ibid.
8. Secretary of Commonwealth. Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War (1896-1908), 8:725; under ‘Jarvis.’ Also 2-CD Family Tree Maker^TM set “Military Records: Revolutionary War.”
9. Ibid 8:783; listed as ‘Jervas.’
10. United States Census, National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 29 (1790-1850). Index. 1790, Massachusetts, Boston, 192.

Learn more about Quintal's study.