David H. Jarvis

David Henry Jarvis was a captain in the United States Revenue Cutter Service. During the harsh winter of 18971898, Jarvis, then serving as a first lieutenant aboard the U.S. Revenue Cutter Bear, led the Overland Relief Expedition, bringing a threeman rescue team with a herd of about 400 reindeer across 1,500 miles of tundra and packice to Point Barrow, Alaska, to bring needed food to 265 whalers whose ships had become stranded in the ice off the northern Alaska coast.

Jarvis was born at Berlin, Maryland on August 24, 1862. He was appointed as a cadet to the United States Revenue Cutter Service on May 28, 1881. On June 18, 1883 he was commissioned as a temporary third lieutenant and his first assignment was aboard USRC160Hamilton, reporting at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 5, 1883. This assignment lasted a little more than two months as he was transferred from the cutter on Septemberfor an undisclosed reason only to be reassigned to Hamilton again on November 24. While assigned to Hamilton his temporary rank was changed to permanent third lieutenant on December 26, 1883. During the time Jarvis was assigned to Hamilton, her cruising area was from Great Egg Harbor, New Jersey, to Bodie Island, North Carolina, including Delaware Bay. Jarvis was transferred from Hamilton to USRC160Stevens based out of New Bern, North Carolina on June 13, 1885.

Source: Wikipedia