David Davenport

David Davenport

Lovie Warren

Quick Facts

Significance:

Alabama Homesteader

Place of Birth:

Bethel, Wilcox County, Alabama

Date of Birth:

est. 1864

Place of Death:

Nanafalia, Marengo, Alabama

Date of Death:

1957

Place of Burial:

Mount Moriah Baptist Church Cemetery

David (Dave) Davenport was born enslaved in Bethel, Wilcox County, Alabama, in about 1864 and gained emancipation in 1865 via the 13th Amendment. 

In the 1870 Bethel, Wilcox County, Alabama Census, David is listed as a 6-year-old boy who lived along with his family in the household of Jacob (a farmer) and Betsy Dixon who were noted to be black and originally from North Carolina. The Dixon household also included David’s father, Henry Davenport, whose trade was a blacksmith, originally born in Tennessee, and David’s mother, Frances, who kept house and was born in Kentucky. David had two brothers enumerated, Augustus (11) and J. Alexander (3) both born in Alabama. Augustus was noted to be a farm laborer and both he and David were marked as attending school.

In the 1900 Nanafalia, Marengo County, Alabama Census, David is enumerated along with his wife, Martha (Mattie Britten) Johnson, their union made official on February 7, 1889 in Wilcox County, Alababma. Ten children were enumerated as well: Jimmie born ca. 1880, Delia ca. 1882, Martha ca. 1885, Ernest ca. 1886 Pearly ca. 1890, Bettie ca. 1892, Guss ca. 1894, Ulysses ca. 1896, Elicy ca. 1898, and Willie ca. 1900. David is noted to be able to read and write and that he rented a farm.

Mattie passed away in approximately 1900 and David married Melissa Mills on December 7, 1902 in Choctaw County, Alabama.

David made Homestead Entry No. 2251 for 160 acres of land through the Homestead Act of 1862 on May 31, 1909, at the Montgomery, Alabama Land Office. The land was located at the East half of the NE quarter and the E half of the SE quarter of Section 5, Township 12, Range 1 West, St. Stephens Meridian in Alabama.

On October 6, 1910, David made his intention known that he would make a Final 14-month Commutation Proof to prove-up and pay for his claim. He would bring himself and his witnesses to the Montgomery, Alabama Land Office on November 26, 1910. The witnesses to-be were noted as: John A. Reed of Mt. Sterling, Choctaw County, Alabama; William C. White, of Putnam, Marengo County, Alabama; Robert Cox of Nanafalia, Marengo County, Alabama and Jesse C. Rogers of Putnam, Marengo County, Alabama.

David placed a notice in the Marengo Democrat Newspaper publicizing his intention to purchase the homestead claim and submit Final Commutation Proof before the Circuit Clerk at Linden, Marengo County on November 28, 1910. This Notice was published weekly for six consecutive weeks commencing on October 13, 1910; ending November 17, 1910.

According to David's Final Proof Testimony of Claimant forms, he cleared and cultivated his homestead. He built 1 (one) Frame House with two stories and two rooms and a Log House with one room worth $100. At the time of final proof, he lived on the homestead with his wife and three of his children.

David included in his testimony that he farmed 7.5 acres of land and grew cotton, corn, pumpkins, and cushaw squash. He also prepared 15 acres of land for grazing stock and had 15 hogs. The remaining part of his land was river swampland. David also owned one Sorrel Mare Mule called “Emma”, one black horse mule “Tom”, one “Tab” or “Top” Buggy and numerous farm implements. Two of the witnesses, John A. Reed and William C. White, gave the legal description of the land and other improvements consistent with Dave's testimony.

On January 18, 1911, David received Sale-Cash Entry Certificate #04616, stating that he had paid in full for the homestead and was entitled to receive a Patent.  A receipt verified David’s purchased of the commuted homestead of 160 acres at $1.25 per acre for a total of $200.00.

On June 22, 1911, David Davenport received Patent No. 210718 for land located at the East half of the NE quarter and the E half of the SE quarter of Section 5, Township 12, Range 1 West, St. Stephens Meridian in Alabama..”

Melissa Davenport passed away on Jan. 5 1928. Dave died in 1957 as a land owner in Nanafalia, Marengo, Alabama.

~ Contributed by Lovie Warren

Lovie Warren is the great great-great granddaughter of Dave Davenport and a family historian. Warren noted that David Davenport was a Deacon in the Mount Moriah Baptist Church from 1900 to his death in 1957. Warren is also a member of several genealogical societies.