John F. Jarrett was born 18 Sept 1836 in Virginia. He was the son of William Jarrett and Jane Watson Jarrett. After the death of his first wife, William remarried and the family moved to Fayette County, Illinois around 1849-1850.

John enlisted 5 August 1861 at Kinmundy in the 40 th Illinois Infantry and was a Private in Company B. According to an affidavit from his wife Pamelia (Permelia) Pryor Jarrett, her husband was bleeding profusely and in order to save his life underwent an amputation of the right arm without the use of chloroform at the Battle of Shiloh. The supply was exhausted and he was held down by a comrade. He was later sent to a hospital in St. Louis. He was discharged 22 August 1862 and died 21 June 1874 of pulmonary consumption.

Pamelia initially received a widow's pension of $8.00 a month . At the time of her death in 1927, the pension had been increased to $50.00 a month. Two children were born of this union. - Perry W. Jarrett born 1859 and Alice Jarrett Brown born 1860. John and Pamelia are buried at the Pryor Cemetery in Wilberton Township, Fayette County, Illinois.