The John Davenport Story 1
Jeffrey Griswold, 2004
The Davenport name may have begun with Orme "de Aunceport" 2 (Ormus de Dauenport), thought to be a cousin of William the Conqueror, or it may have derived from the southwest coastal England town of Devonport. Certainly, the name abounded in Cheshire County, northwest England. "In Cheshire . . . there are as many Davenports as there are dogs' tails" stated an old English doggerel.3 Cheshire is where Ormus de Dauenport (b. 1086?), the "first identifiable Davenport," is thought to have lived. Some believe that Ormus took his surname, Dauen-port, meaning "Dane Market," 4 from the town on the River Dane where he resided.5 It is believed that Ormus built his homestead where Davenport Hall stands today. Perched on a promotory, Davenport Hall overlooks the River Dane peacefully wending its way through the once bustling township of Davenport, now but an overlooked hamlet in Chesire County.
Davenports made their way to America. Lancelot Davenport was the first (1620). Among the other early American Davenports were John Davenport (1597-1669/70), the renowned Puritan minister and co-founder of New Haven, Connecticut (settled there in 1630); Richard Davenport, a Salem resident in 1628; Humphrey Davenport, from Barbados, an early arrival in Massachusetts and resident of Hartford, Connecticut; Francis Davenport, a mariner resident of Boston in 1675; and Thomas Davenport (1615-1685), an early (1640) resident of Dorchester, Massachusetts.
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1 Adapted from an extensive survey, "Davenport Story," by Jeffrey Griswold, 2003.
2, 3 See: The Origin of the Davenport Surname, by Dr. John Scott Davenport, 1999.
For an historic, scholarly account of the early Davenports, see: Notes on the Antiquities of Macclesfield, by I. Finney, Chestergate, England, 4th Edition, 1871; see also: History of Cheshire, by George Omerod, London, 1819
4 Various meanings for Davenport include "market on the Dane," river, port, harbor, haven. From: Anglo-Saxon port = market
5 Spellings of Davenport include Dauenport, Dauenporte, de Aunceport, de Davenport, Devonport, Devenport, Deavenport, Debinport, Dabenport, and Dampert
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The Davenports were prolific settlement founders, giving their name to towns and cities across America: in New York, Iowa, California, Florida, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington ten states in all.
As mentioned in the text of Davenport, Fact and Fancy (Chapter 3 sidebar), it is conceivable that Davenport, New York, could have been named in honor of the more famous Puritan Reverend John Davenport, close friend and colleague of Theolphilus Eaton, first governor of Connecticut and another of New Haven's founders. It is more likely that the less famous John Davenport (Abt. 1776-1829), a descendent of Thomas (1615-1685) and son of Billa Davenport, Sr. (1744/45-?), should gain the full naming credit. These two John's were possibly distantly related,6 thought to be connected through Reverend John's 6th great-grandfather, Thomas Davenport of Wheltrough, England.
A more modern relationship exists between the less famous John Davenport and three United States presidents. Two of the presidents, George Herbert Walker Bush (1924- ) and his son George Walker Bush (1946- ), are also related to the third, President William Howard Taft (1857-1930).7
"Our" John Davenport was born about 1776 8 in Spencertown, Columbia County, New York, as was his father, Billa Davenport, Sr. John had nine siblings, two of whom died young. His ancestors had come from England to settle in Dorchester, Massachusetts (1640), moving on to Little Compton, Rhode Island and then to Spencertown, New York.
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6 Thomas Davenport (8th Gen from Ormus)(1280? -?), son of Sir Thomas Davenport and Agnes Macclesfield, has appeared as the common ancestor between the famous Rev. John Davenport (16th Gen) (1597-1669/70) and "Our" John Davenport (23rd Gen)(Abt. 1776-1829). If true, this would make the two John Davenport's 7th cousins, six times removed.
7 See the accompanying genealogy charts showing the presidential connections to "our" John Davenport's ancestor.
8 A detailed analysis of John's possible birth date, believed to be early/mid 1774 or late 1776/early 1777 is found in Davenport Story, 2003.
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John married Anna Putnam,9 about 1800, possibly prior to his moving from Spencertown. He resided, before 1810, in the town of Harpersfield, and later moved to neighboring Kortright to a section that was to become Davenport. In 1817, he was elected Davenport's first town supervisor. John was a prosperous local Davenport, New York, merchant until his death in 1829. His second cousin, Noah Davenport (1758-1840), born in Lebanon, New London County, Connecticut, resided nearby and, as John's local business partner, also played a role in the chronicle of Davenport, New York. Cousin Noah's family ties to Connecticut could explain John's final wagon trip to Connecticut in 1829, months before he died.
John's only child, John Davenport Jr., born October 20th, 1822, in Harpersfield, was not born to his wife Anna. It seems that Betsy Williams from the Williams family of Harpersfield was the mother.10 Betsy had lived prior to John Jr.'s birth in the Davenport home, most likely as a young servant.11
It may be that the sole source of contention between Anna and John, in an otherwise contented,12 enduring marriage, was John Jr. This contention survived John's death. In 1830, Anna successfully contested the admission of John's will to probate. The court ruled that John, at the time of executing his will (1829), was "of Unsound Mind & Memory." John Jr.'s fortunes diminished as a result. Made after an apparent stroke, the will had left the bulk (75%) of John's estate to his only child. The will presumably was destroyed by the court. Now, only by perusing the court testimony of fifty-two sworn witnesses, in what must have been a major spectacle of the time,13 can bits and pieces of John Davenport's final differing wishes be gleaned. Likely the richest man in town, leaving an estate estimated at anywhere from $15,000 to $50,000,14 John Davenport was a strong and formative force in Davenport's early history. He left us but a glimpse of his storied life. His legacy was to continue.
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9, 10, 12, 14 Based upon a reading of the author's transcription of the original 1830 probate testimony re: proving John Davenport's will.
11 1830 probate testimony indicated Betsy left the Davenport home months before John Jr.'s 1822 birth. She later married a Mr. Palmatier. Probate testimony located in Delaware County Court, Delhi, New York.
13 Held initially in the county Surrogates Court in the town of Delhi, Delaware County, New York on the 16th of February, 1830, adjourned to Benjamin North's Inn at 11 am, as the Court was not sufficient in size to handle the proceedings. Adjourned from day to day until February 18th when lawyer summations were given and the court rendered its decision.
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At age eighteen, John, the son, married Catherine Flansburgh of Oneonta.15 The couple had ten children, of whom five sons and two daughters were still living in 1880.16 John, the son, operated the family farm of his father for many years. He did not sell the homestead and farm until 1902. He died in 1909.
Davenports still resided in Davenport, New York, until well into the 1900's, including John's son, John (III) (1851-1926) and wife Eliza Hammell Davenport (1851-1894),17 as well as their son, John (IV) (1884-1956).18 The son of John (IV), Charles James Davenport (1910-1959),19 served in the 88th Infantry Division in World War II, and was to be the last known Davenport residing in Davenport.20
THE END
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15 January 9th, 1841.
16 According to Munsell's History of Delaware County, NY, published Delhi, NY, 1880.
17, 18 Buried in the Davenport cemetery.
19 Buried in the Davenport cemetery next to John and Eliza Hammell Davenport.
20 It is surmised, based on research to date, that Charles was the son of John (IV).
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RELATED ITEMS ON THIS CD
accompanying the book
Davenport, Fact and Fancy:
GENEALOGY CHARTS:
Ormus de Dauenport (b. abt 1086) to Immigrant Thomas Davenport (1615-1685)
Thomas Davenport (1615-1685) to Noah (1758-1840) and John Davenport (abt 1776-1829)
John Davenport (abt 1776-1829) (Fan Chart)
Noah Davenport (1758-1840) (Fan Chart)
John Davenport (abt 1776-1829) - - Siblings and Descendants
Noah Davenport (1758-1840) - - Siblings and Descendants
Sir Thomas Davenport (1250-1320) to Reverend John Davenport (1597-1669/70)
Thomas Davenport (1615-1685) to U.S. Presidents Bush and Taft
FAMILY REPORTS:
Ancestors, Descendants
THOMAS DAVENPORT (1615 to 1685), Early American Settler: His ancestors, from the first identifiable Davenport, Ormus de Dauenport (b. abt 1086) of Cheshire, England, descending to John Davenport (abt 1776-1829) of Davenport, New York, and to Noah Davenport (1758-1840), his second cousin of Stamford, New York, and to their descendants.
Davenport to Presidents
THOMAS DAVENPORT (1615-1685), Early American Settler, to U.S. Presidents George Herbert Walker Bush, George Walker Bush and William Howard Taft
To view the above genealogy charts and family reports, click below on "HOME - TABLE OF CONTENTS," and then click on "Genealogy Charts," "Ancestors Descendants," or "Davenport to Presidents."