Davenport Biography
THOMAS DAVENPORT
Thomas DAVENPORT was born 8-22-1805 in Hyde County, N.C. to George DAVENPORT and an unnamed Indian Maiden who died at his birth. His father took the infant Thomas back to Kentucky to the home of his grandparents William DAVENPORT, b. 1748 England and Comfort (FISHER) DAVENPORT. In 1809 his father remarried in Casey County, Ky. to Winnie CLIFTON and by 1820 we find this family on the census in Madison County, IL (later to become Sangamon). Together George and Winnie raised twelve children in all: Thomas b. 1805, Mary b. abt. 1810, William b. abt. 1811, Nancy b. abt. 1812, Elizabeth b. abt. 1831, John b. abt. 1819, Alfino (Albert) b. abt. 1820, Adolphues b. 1821, Amanda b. abt. 1822, Job C. b. abt. 1823, Rhoda b. abt. 1824, Rebecca b. abt. 1825.
Thomas married abt. 1828 to Elizabeth FRENCH b. 1812 to John Elson FRENCH b. 1760 Va. and Dolly SPENCER, early settlers of Sangamon County. Thomas and Elizabeth had as many as eight children which I will list with some doubt on a couple of them, as we have no concrete proof they belong to Thomas: Rhoda b. abt. 1826, Emily b. abt. 1827, George F. b. 1832, Mason b. 1835, Edom b. 1836, Sciota b. abt. 1838, Thomas J. b. 1842, Uriah L. b. 1848.
Thomas served in the Black Hawk War 1831/1832 in the Fifth Regiment of Whiteside's brigade under Capt. PUGH, he fought in the great battle of Steadman's Retreat. He was well known in DeWitt for his footraces in 1830 Thomas was "the fastest man in the state" that was until he and his friend J. J. McCALL raced. Thomas, not one to give up was still ready for a rematch when quoted in a county history written in 1880. Thomas was also known as the best hunter in the county having caught eight raccoons in one tree stump and bagging four wild turkeys before breakfast.
After Elizabeth's death Thomas married Mary (REEDER) FRUIT-COX b. 1816. Together they had three children: Twins, Theodore and Theodosia b. 1860, Margaret (Maggie) Comfort b. 1864.
Thomas died 8-16-1889 at the age of 84 in DeWitt County and is buried at Texas Christian Cemetery. At his death having 72 grandchildren (40 living) and 23 (18 living) great grandchildren.
Submited by Earliene Kaelin, 3x great-granddaughter of Thomas.