[1][2] He ventured south to the Albemarle Region with George Durant, John Jenkins, Thomas Harvey and others, mainly from Isle of Wight and Nansemond Counties, Virginia in 1658.
[2] From 1683 to 1689, Jarvis was the acting chief executive during the tenures of governors Seth Sothel and John Gibbs.
With this appointment, Thomas became the first deputy governor of the entire colony, including the area north-east of Cape Fear.
[1] He purchased a piece of land located between the Perquimans River and Carolina Sound (at that time known as the Albemarle county).
Jarvis was also granted 2600 acres (jointly with Col. Lemuel Mason and Thomas Willoughby) known as "White's Island", then stated to be "at" Currituck within Lower Norfolk County, Virginia, in 1688[4] (now known as "Church Island")[5] It was here that he made his primary residence.