John A. Davenport

biography

DAVENPORT, John A., farmer, P. O. Dicksonburg, was born in Tompkins County, N. Y. December 8, 1827; son of Solomon and Nancy (Van Corder) Davenport, former a native of Tompkins County, N. Y., latter of New Jersey. They were parents of twelve children; members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Solomon Davenport, who was a farmer, settled in Summerhill Township, this county, October 22, 1833, on 200 acres of land, very little of which was then cleared, but by hard work he soon subdued it to cultivation. He held a life membership in the Foreign Missionary Society. He died November 2, 1870, aged seventy-five years, and his widow followed him August 28, 1883, aged ninety. Our subject, who was seventh in the family, received a common school education and was brought up a farmer. He was married in 1851 to Miss Mary P. McDowell, a native of this township, born October 20, 1830, daughter of Alexander and Julia A. McDowell, whose biography appears elsewhere [see p. 1033], and to this union were born four children, three of whom are now living: William A., Etta A. (wife of George Parkison) and Lina C. (wife of Joseph Cole). Mr. and Mrs. Davenport are members of the R. T. and T. He is owner of 150 acres of well-improved land, part of which is his father's old homestead. He has held several township offices; in politics he is a Republican. Of our subject's brothers and sisters, Leonard M. was a soldier during the war of the Rebellion in the Second Ohio Cavalry, and died October 1862, in camp at Fort Scott, Kan., of disease contracted in the service; James V. died in Solano County, Cal., June 25, 1869; following died in LaSalle County, Ill.: Lucy J. (wife of W. L. F. Jones), February 16, 1858, Julia A. (wife of Edwin Jones), April 13, 1863, and Alfred W., December12, 1854; Alice A., the eldest daughter (wife of Robert G. Henry) died March 24, 1877.