He was the son of William Jervis (d. 24 March 1797, aged 72), minister of the presbyterian congregation in St. Nicholas Street, Ipswich.
He was educated for the ministry in London at Wellclose Square, under David Jennings, and at Hoxton, under Savage, Andrew Kippis, and Abraham Rees.
[1] William Petty, second earl of Shelburne, engaged him in 1772, on the recommendation of Richard Price, D.D., as resident tutor to his sons at Bowood, Wiltshire, a situation which he filled till 1783.
Jervis, who was ordained in 1779, moved to London about 1783, and became minister of the presbyterian congregation in St Thomas Street, Southwark.
In the summer of 1808 he succeeded William Wood as minister of the unitarian congregation at Mill Hill, Leeds.
[1] Jervis published nineteen separate sermons and addresses (1784–1820), some of which are reprinted in (1) 'Sermons,’ &c., 1811; (2) 'Remarks in Refutation of … Story of a Supernatural Appearance related by the Rev.