(1892 – 1949)
Those Extension workers who initiated programs while the service was just getting started were real pioneers. It was not easy to convince rural folks that college-educated young men knew more about how to produce crops than they did. That was the atmosphere that John Timothy Jarmon entered when he took the job of County Agent in Conecuh County in 1924.
Having been born in rural Leighton, Alabama, on June 7, 1892, John could relate to the situations of farm families. He knew how to talk to them. And he had the personality to persuade them to join the ranks of hundreds of others who were listening to the information coming from Extension. They were glad they did listen. Crop production increased, livestock quality improved, and income rose. With the rise in income came a higher standard of living — one of the goals of Extension philosophy.
John loved learning himself. He received his degree from Tuskegee Institute in 1923. For a year, he taught agriculture courses. Then he gained his position with Extension Service. There are many warm remembrances of John Jarmon. He was described as a number one businessman. He was often called ‘Professor’ Jarmon because he was always teaching farmers new things, including how to better grow their corn, their peanuts, their cotton. He also made sure they knew how to make the most of their fertilizer.
John Jarmon was “always there offering his services,” and he always stayed with his people through hard times. A deeply religious man and a fine gentleman are also attributes ascribed to him.
It is altogether fitting that the name John Timothy Jarmon be inscribed on the dedicatory plaque of the Extension Memorial Chapel.
Chapel Plaque Inscription Number: 82
