A. J. Davenport, a pioneer of Uvalde county prominently identified with its progress and development, was born in Johnson county, Missouri, June 19, 1843. In the paternal line he is of Scotch-Irish descent. His father, John Davenport, was a native of Tennessee and was first married in Kentucky to a Miss McNew, after which he removed to Missouri. By this marriage there were seven children. Following the death of his first wife he was married in Missouri to Miss Susan Little. He engaged in business in that state until 1843, when he sold his interests there and removed to Kaufman county, Texas, where he purchased land and opened up a farm, whereon he remained successfully in business until 1853. In that year he came to Uvalde county, locating in the Sabinal Canyon in the Ware settlement, giving his attention to stock raising. The range was then free, grass grew luxuriantly and he soon got a good start in stock. After remaining in that settlement for two years he then took a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres two miles east of where Sabinal now stands. There he established a permanent home and ranch, continuing to reside there until his death, which occurred in October. 1875, when he was seventy-eight years of age. When he first settled in Texas Indians were not so hostile as they became later, but they were always running off stock and subsequently manifested the utmost hostility to the white race, so that it was a hard problem for the pioneers to handle them. Mr. Davenport lost much of his stock through their raids and took part in many hunts after them. He was never in any battles with them, however, being too old for that. He left the fighting for his sons to do, and they were always willing to do their share. Mr. Davenport was a Democrat and a worthy member of the Methodist church. He was a large, strong man, of robust constitution and led a busy and active life. He possessed a social nature and charitable disposition that led him to entertain his friends with cordial hospitality and to assist the poor and needy. He was greatly respected for his sterling integrity and honor. He founded the family in Uvalde county and they have since been carrying forward the work which he inaugurated. The children of his first marriage, all born in Missouri, were: James, a stockman who died in Bandera county; William, who was a large farmer and stockman and died in Davenport station in Bexar county; John M., who was killed by the Indians near where Sabinal is now located. He made a good fight against a large band before he gave up his life, although he had but a pistol with which to defend himself. The daughters are: Dorcas, the wife of Rolla Miller; Mrs. Ann Goff; Mrs. Jane Barnett, and Mrs. Kate Patton. The father's second marriage, which occurred in Missouri, was to Susan Little of Kentucky, who in early life went to Missouri with her parents, although little is known of the family history. She was a member of the Methodist church and died in 1874. There were two sons of the marriage: Lewis C., a prominent stockman of Uvalde county, and A. Jack.
Mr. A. J. Davenport is familiarly known throughout the county as Jack. During his infancy his parents removed to Texas and when he was ten years of age came to Uvalde county. He spent his young manhood in this county, where he has since remained. He was largely reared in the saddle and when a boy joined the older men of the locality in making raids after the Indians, taking part in a number of fights. He helped recover and save much stock and during all this time he was never wounded by the Indians, although he saw many others who were injured or killed by the red men. In 1862 he entered the state ranger service on the frontier, serving for one year, during which time he participated in many raids and fights with the Indians. In 1863 he enlisted in the Confederate service as a member of Company F in Duff's Thirty third Texas Cavalry, with which he continued to the close of the war, serving with the Trans-Mississippi army and patrolling the coast of Texas and southwestern department. Later the regiment brigaded with General Gano's command, with which Mr. Davenport continued until the close of the war, being in Arkansas part of the time. He was there stationed when the army disbanded and he returned to his home.
Mr. Davenport resumed business as a stockman and on the 18th of December, 1865, was married. When he left for the war he had got a good start in stock, but owing to the ravages of war he lost all that he had saved and his first effort afterward was in the manufacture of shingles, whereby he gained a small amount of ready money. He then commenced raising stock, and not discouraged by any of the hardships and difficulties of the work, he succeeded in developing a very extensive business. At length he succeeded in getting his ranch established. The range was free and the grass good and for some time he won success. In 1878 he bought his first land, comprising five hundred and ninety acres, which he yet owns, and he erected thereon good ranch buildings and made many substantial improvements. He yet remains two miles north of Sabinal and having added to his first purchase now owns fifteen hundred acres. His home he has remodeled and has a commodious residence and outbuildings, also a good tenant house. He likewise has telephone connection with the cities and is thoroughly modern in all of his methods of living and in his business. He and his brother, L. C. Davenport, bought a tract of ten thousand acres on the Frio river, where they ran stock successfully for a number of years, at the end of which time Mr. Davenport sold out to L. C. Davenport and later bought a tract of five thousand acres on Little Blanco river, which he fenced and on which he engaged in stock raising until 1905. He then sold the ranch and cattle to Kelly & Bell. He has reduced his business to his home farm and ranch. He now has less stock, but it is of a higher grade, having much registered stock, including Hereford, Short-horns and Durhams. He will have none but the finest cattle about him now. For thirteen years he has also run sheep in connection with cattle and found this very profitable. He is a self-made man, owing his prosperity entirely to his own labors, and has been the creator of a large estate. He now has over one hundred and sixty acres of land under cultivation and has had good success with dry farming, the seasons yielding fair annual crops. He is a stockholder in the Uvalde National Bank and has a very gratifying bank account. In politics he is a stalwart Democrat.
Mr. Davenport was married to Miss Mary Binnion, who was bom in Titus county, Texas, September 1, 1849, her parents being John and Minerva (Phillips) Binnion, both of Alabama, where they were married, coming thence to Texas in 1847. They settled in Titus county, where Mr. Binnion operated his ranch by the aid of slave labor until the black race was liberated. In 1864 he sold out and removed to Uvalde county, locating first in the Ware settlement near Utopia, where he engaged successfully in stock-raising for a few years. He then bought land adjoining the homestead, whereon he spent his remaining days, passing away June 29. 1883. He diverted his interests from cattle to the sheep business and was a successful sheep man. He voted with the Democracy and was a member of the Christian church. His wife was the most noted woman of all this wide country at an early day—"Aunt Minerva," She was well educated and when a young woman had the use of the old family physician's medical books and received instruction from him. She became well versed in the methods of medical practice and after coming to this wild country where there was no physician she engaged in administering to the needs of the sick for a long period, her services being in demand far and near. Those wounded by the Indians were cared for by her and she did excellent surgical work as well as medical practice. "Aunt Minerva," as she was called, was known to every white person in the country and is kindly remembered by all because of her warm heart and her skill. She was a brave woman and ones when a band of Indians were approaching her home she quickly donned a suit of her husband's clothes, shouldered her gun and w1th her husband went outside the house. The Indians then did not know how many men were in the house and feared to attack it and thus she and her husband achieved a victory without firing a gun. She survived her husband for a number of years, passing away in 1897. The children of this worthy pioneer woman were: John, who was accidentally killed when twelve years of age; Robert, a stockman, who died and left five children; Susan, who died in childhood; Samuel, who was killed by Indians at the age of twenty-two years; Mrs. Mary Davenport; Mrs. Sarah Newley; Martin, a stockman, who died leaving five children; and Charles, who went to the west, since which time no news has been heard of him.
To Mr. and. Mrs. Davenport have been born the following named: Edwin, born September 30, 1869, is engaged in farming and stock raising on the old homestead ; Robert, born January 21, 1864, is a prominent physician of Trinidad, Colorado; Oscar, born December 7, 1872, is a stockman of Goliad county; Mittie is the wife of F. J. Rheiner, cashier of the Uvalde National Bank; Roy is an assistant in the Uvalde National Bank. The wife and mother is a worthy member of the Christian church.
Source: A Twentieth Century History of Southwest Texas, Volume II, by Lewis Publishing Company, 1907; Pgs. 217-220
