Abraham Davenport Sr. (1714 - abt. 1789)

Born 28 May 1714 in Shropshire, England

Husband of Mary (Simms) Davenport — married 1745 in Prince Georges, Maryland

Descendants

Died about Oct 1789 at about age 75 in Jefferson, Virginia, United States

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Biography

Hon. Abraham Davenport Sr. performed Patriotic Service in the American Revolution.

Abraham Davenport Sr. is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A029966.

His Will is dated October 20, 1789, on file in Berkley County, West Virginia.

He settled in Berkley County, Virginia. Received BA from Yale University in 1732.

Was a Colonel in the American Revolution. Yes, per DAR.

[Was said to have helped George Washington in 1776 arrange the army into regients and commission officers. NOT VERIFIED -- BL NEED TO RESEARCH]

BURIAL: Buried in the Davenport Grave Yard at Summit Point, Jefferson County, W. V. From https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/205825305/abraham-davenport: "May 28, 1714, England Death: Oct., 1789 Summit Point Jefferson County West Virginia, USA Abraham Davenport came from England to St Mary's settlement in the province of Maryland and married Mary Simms, daughter of John Simms & Mary Higton. The Simmes were wealthy plantation owners.

At the out break of the Revolutionary War he was the Kings Magistrate in St. Mary's county, and was loyal to the King, until he saw his seven sons march away in the company of party of patriots, when he called to his wife saying Mary bring me my rifle if these damned sons of ours are going to hell I'm going with them, so he marched off to war at the age of 62 years. Sometime during the Revolution he moved to Berkley county Virginia and settled on a farm near Summer Point, now Jefferson county West Virginia where he died in Oct 1789, and is buried there by the side of his wife. The tombstones have been obliterated and the graves can no longer be identified. From Genealogy of the Davenport Family by Henry Bedinger Davenport Jr (1947) p. 6-7

The Alonta (Davenport) Farm is located near Charles Town, Jefferson county, West Virginia. It is a historical farm and on the Register of National Historical Landmarks and has many of its pre-civil war buildings, manor house, slave cabins, blacksmith shop, overseers office. It is still a working farm and owned and operated by Davenport descendants from the time Abraham Davenport Jr bought the land from Charles Washington. The federal style house was built in 1793 The house was expanded by Abraham Davenport Jr.'s son Colonel Braxton Davenport who became a Virginia legislator.

In the Davenport family plot in the Edgehill cemetery in Charles Town, Jefferson county, West Virginia stands a large obelisk a memorial to Abraham and his seven sons who served in the Revolutionary War. On the obelisk engraved into the cement is written..

"In the Glory of Patriotism in memory of Abraham Davenport and his wife Mary Simms and their 7 sons were soldiers of the American Revolution, Stephen, Abraham, John, Marmaduke, Anthony Simms, Adrian, Samuel. They stand on a pedestal of Liberty, with sword in hand, laurel on the bow and flame of patriotism in the heart"

Children of Abraham & Mary 1) Elizabeth b. Feb 13 1748, 2) Stephen b. Nov 24 1749, 3) Major Abraham b. Feb 9 1752, 4) John b. Dec 14 1753, 5) Marmaduke b. Aug 25 1755, 6) Anthony Simms b. May 19 1757, 7) Adrian b.April 9 1759, 8) Mary b. May 23 1761, 9) Samuel b. Aug 3 1763, 10) Catherine b. Aug 5 1765, 11) Nancy b. Sept 9 1767

Family links: Spouse: Mary Simms Davenport (1724 - 1796) <fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=112243230>*

Children: Elizabeth Davenport Conwell (1748 - 1838) <fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=69141243>* Abraham Davenport (1752 - 1825) <fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=18020151>* Anthony Sims Davenport (1757 - 1835) <fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=38091021>* Adrian Davenport (1759 - 1841) <fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=113667909>* Mary Davenport Long (1763 - 1831) <fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=21726607>*

• Calculated relationship

Note: Burial on Alonta (Davenport Family) Farm Burial: Non-Cemetery Burial Created by: Miranda <fg.cgi?page=mr&MRid=47442646> Record added: Jun 13, 2013 Find A Grave Memorial# 205825305

Abraham's Will provides:

In the name of God Amen I Abraham Davenport of Berkeley County and Colony of Virginia being very sick and weak in body but of Perfect mind and memory thanks be unto God calling unto mind the mortality of my body, do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament, in manner following: I recommend my soul into the hand of Almighty God that gave it, and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in Decent Christian Burial at the direction of my Executor and as touching such Worldly Estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life I give devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form: Item I give and Bequeath to my Loving Wife Mary Davenport one Negro woman named Catherine one Negro man named Frances and one Negro girl named Mary and one Negro woman named Rachel the said Rachel to live with who she chooses after my Wife’s Death or my Wife may set her free if she chooses so to do the aforesaid Negroes to be hers during her Natural life and afterwards to go as I shall hereafter Order and also one Negro boy named Henry during her natural life. Item I give to my son Stephen Davenport Two Hundred acres of land I bought of Peter Boucher near the Warm Springs now called Bath which land my son Stephen shall hold and the money he has applied to his own use and I have given my Bond for the conveying of the same and one Negro boy named William to him his Heirs and Assigns. Item I give to my son Abraham Davenport and my daughter Elizabeth Conwell Four Hundred Acres of Land under the Ridge of Sleepy Creek Mountain to be Equally Divided which I bought of Stephen Rawlings to them their Heirs and Assigns forever. Item I will that a Negro woman named Ellenor be hired out every year for the most she can Hired for and the Money arising from her Hire to be paid Yearly for every year to my daughter Mary Long as long as either of them lives and if said Negro woman shall have Children I will also that they shall be for the use of my sd Daughter during her Life and after my sd Daughter Mary’s death I will that the sd Negro Ellenor and her children is any be Equally Disposed of Between my Daughter Mary Long Children to them their Heirs and Assigns. Item I give to my son Anthony Semms Davenport one Negro girl named Judea to him his Heirs or Assigns. Item I give to my son John Davenport one Negro girl named Jane to him his Heirs or Assigns. Item I give and bequeath to my wife Mary all my household furniture and Stock of Horses Cows Sheep and Hogs. Item I give to my son Adrian Davenport one Negro girl named Emelia to him and his Heirs or Assigns. Item I also give and bequeath to my tow sons Adrian Davenport and Samuel Davenport Four Hundred Acres of Land my son John Davenport Bot of Thomas Sharp for me all of which money is not yet paid, but I will that it be paid for out of my Estate the sd Land to be Equally Divided between them in Quantity and Quality or they may sell it and Divide the money as they choose to them their Heirs or Assigns Forever. Item I give to my son Samuel one Negro boy named Henry after his mother’s death and one Negro girl named Mary to him his Heirs and Assigns and also one feather bed and furniture. Item I give unto my Daughter Catherine Orrick one Negro Woman Named Hannah and one Negro Boy named Abraham and one Named Judea and their increase to her her Heirs and Assigns. It is my will that my Executors hereafter appointed be the persons to take the said Negro Ellenor and her children if any for the use and benefit of my said Daughter Mary Long and if all of them should die before my said Daughter Mary to be the person them they shall Nominate or Appoint to hire them as aforesd. Item I will that the said Negroes willed to my wife during her Life and not Ordered in another manner to be disposed of together with my stock of Horses Sheep and Hogs and Household furniture to be Equally Disposed of amongst all my children but if any of them should die and leave Heirs, then to be Equally Divided amongst this or her heirs as much as would have been his or her part and if any of them should die without Heirs and unmarried it is my will that their part of my Estate Left to be Equally Divided amongst the surviving Heirs. Item I will that the lands I have on Back Creek which I bought of Robert Snodgrass tho some of it was Conveyed by Andrew Yates be equally divided between my two sons John Davenport and Anthony Simms Davenport in Quality and Quantity or they may sell it as they may choose and divide the money equally to them their Heirs and Assigns. Item I do by this my last will and testament authorize and appoint my Loving Wife Mary Davenport and Abraham and John Davenport my sole Executors of this my last will and testament as contained on this sheet of paper revoking all former or other wills and confirming and ratifying this my last this 9th day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty nine.

Abraham Davenport

Signed sealed and acknowledged before us who have hereunto subscribed our names in the sight of the testator and the sight of each other.

Andw McCornich (?) Thomas Hale Asher Hale

Sources

• Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed 21 Jun 2022), "Record of Abraham Davenport Sr.", Ancestor # A029966.
• His Will, on file in Berkley County, West Virginia
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/205825305/abraham-davenport