History of the Jarvie Ranch

John Jarvie was born in Scotland in 1844.  He worked in the Scottish mines as a youth.  He was severely beaten by his supervisor.  After he recovered, he stowed away on a ship sailing to America, arriving in 1870.  He settled in Rock Springs, Wyoming.  Wyoming was a territory at that time.  He became a citizen on October 8, 1875.  He shared rooms with six other Scottish immigrants. One of which was a liquor salesman by the name of George Young. Jarvie also sold retail liquor.  

In 1871, Jarvie purchased the Will Wale Saloon in Rock Springs for $500.00. He later mortgaged it to Moses Millington for $675.00.  His business license allowed him to sell wholesale liquor and operate one billiard table.  

Jarvie married Nellie Bar on June 17, 1880.  It was rumored that he met her while she was performing as a singer in vaudeville show.  Soon after, they moved to Browns Park, Utah. The marriage produced four sons, Tom, Archie, Jim, and John Jr. Nellie passed away in 1895 at the age of 22 of tuberculosis. Jarvie finished raising his sons alone, even going so far as to make their clothes.

Browns Park had previously been the home of Fort Davy Crockett for 40 years. It served as a hub for fur traders and travelers and was the only trading post for 70 miles.

Upon arriving at Browns Park, Jarvie opened a store/trading post and sold everything from saddles to flour and home goods.  In 1892 Jarvie was arrested by Sheriff Pope of Vernal, Utah for selling liquor without a license.  At the trial, a sample of the liquor was tasted by the jury, and it was so bad that they found him not guilty.

Jarvie also operated a post office.  However, it was not the first post office in Browns Park.  Doc Parsons was the first postmaster and made a salary of $19.30 per year.  In 1881 Jarvey took over and the post office was moved to Jarvie’s property.  His salary was increased to $24.98 per year.

Jarvey was briefly involved in mining on Douglas Mountain.  However, this venture left Jarvie heavily in debt.  Owing more than $5000.00 to the Rock Springs banks.  He continued prospecting around Browns Park in Red Creek Canyon.  One day the cinch on his saddle broke, and he fell down a steep cliff.  He saw the doctor in Rock Springs, and he had broken 4 ribs. The doctor taped him with adhesive tape. He soon began to itch and pulled the tape off. He went to his store and got a woman’s corset and wore it until his ribs healed.

Jarvie also operated a ferry.  It operated from 1881 until 1909.  The ferry was the only way of crossing the Green River for miles around.  A bridge was built by Charlie Crouse a short way downstream but was destroyed by an ice jam on the river a couple of years later.

Though the area was mostly cattle and sheep ranching, Jarvie’s interest was in horses.  He went into business with George Law of Colorado and by 1897 they had a herd of 142 horses.  Jarvie was also a blacksmith and did custom work for his neighbors.  His talents included making a 16’ water wheel with paddles and buckets to irrigate his pastures.

Jarvie was a man of many talents.  He loved “gourmet” cooking, played chess and was an avid reader.  He had a library of fine books.  He also played the organ and concertina.

The people of Browns Park were known for their social functions.  In 1901, J.S. Hoy had a Christmas dance at his ranch. Everyone attended, including several well-known outlaws.  To cover the robbery of a Jewish merchant from Rock Springs, Matt Warner held a “Masquerade Party”.  He decided that the best way to get rid of the stolen clothes was to have everyone in Brown Park come to the party dressed up in the stolen merchandise. Everyone willingly participated.

But the best-known event was the “Outlaws Thanksgiving Dinner” held in 1895.  Ann Bassett (queen of the cattle rustlers), Bille Bender, Les Megs, Butch Cassady, Eliza Loy, Isom Dart and the Sundance Kid wanted to repay the people of Brown’s Park for their kindness. The dinner was held at the Davenport ranch on Willow Creek.  The menu included Blue Pointe Oysters, roast turkey, stuffing, giblet gravy, cranberries, mashed potatoes, candied sweet potatoes and creamed peas. All the outlaws pitched in to do the cooking and serving.

On July 6, 1909, Jarvie was alone in his store when outlaws Willam King and George Hood came to the ranch.  They forced him to open the store safe and took a $100.00 bill and pearl handled revolver.  Jarvie ran from the store, but they shot him in the back.  The outlaws placed his body in a boat and sent it down the Green River.  His son Jimmy followed their trail to an Idaho rooming house.  They pushed him out a 2nd floor window.  They were never caught.

His obituary was published in the Vernal Express.  It said he was “The Sage of the Uintah’s, “The Genuis of Browns Park”, and “Wizard of the Hills and Rivers”.

The Jarvie ranch was sold to Nature Conservancy in 1977 and eventually sold to the Bureau of Land Management in 1981.  It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

****Source of information: ‘John Jarvie of Browns Park”, Book written by Wm. Tennent/Bureau of Land Management