Bio: Capt. C. C. Davenport, Morehouse Parish, Louisiana Submitted by Mike Miller Source: Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 1), pp. 370-371. Published by the Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892. ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Capt C. C. Davenport. In 1805 Josiah Davenport, a citizen of Rhode Island, met in the city of New Orleans, Mr. Abraham Morehouse, a citizen of Kentucky. Josiah Davenport was in the merchant marine service, and commanded the vessel "Cleopatra," running between Savannah, Ga., and Liverpool, England. Mr. Morehouse had contracted with Baron de Bastrop, a Spanish baron, to induce immigration of white families into that portion of Louisiana lying east of the Ouachita river, on the lands since known as the Bastrop Grant. In this undertaking, Mr. Morehouse was retarded from carrying out the plan, for lack of means. On meeting Capt. Josiah Davenport he elicited his interest in the scheme and the Captain readily agreeing to the enterprise, he sold his vessel and loaned Mr. Morehouse sufficient money to carry out his purpose, engaging to go with him in the wilderness. Their trip by barge from New Orleans to Point Pleasant on Bayou Bartholomew lasted forty-two days. Captain Davenport settled at Prairie Mer Rouge, nine miles east of Point Pleasant, and there engaged in planting. He was a man of great energy and enterprise, well fitted to become a pioneer, and did much to promote the growth and development of his section. He erected the first gin house in what is now the parish of Morehouse, and soon after settling here was married to Miss Polly Barlow, a lady born and educated in Kentucky. The eldest son of this marriage was James Barlow Davenport, who was the father of the subject of this memoir. His entire life was passed in the Prairie Mer Rouge neighborhood and like his father Josiah D., he was a successful planter and was always interested in all enterprises for the benefit of the community in which he resided. He was noted for his liberality and open-heartedness even in those days of hospi- [871] tality and his house was always open to those prospecting for homes and the contents of his corn bins ready to be divided with new settlers. On the home plantation October 8, 1837, C. C. Davenport was born. Until the age of fourteen years he attended the school of his neighborhood, then commenced clerking in his father's store, in fact, he shared equally with his father the control of their entire business. At the age of seventeen he entered the Georgetown College of Kentucky, from which he graduated in 1857. From that time until the commencement of hostilities between the states he with his brothers Josiah and John and his sister Eliza S., now the wife of Dr. Robert Cotten, a prominent physician of Birmingham, Ala., resided at the old homestead. In 1861 Louisiana, seceding from the Union, found these three brothers ready and willing to enter the confederate army. As to how well they discharge their duties they will leave to their comrades to attest. C. C. Davenport went out as lieutenant in the Twelfth Louisiana infantry, in the Army of Tennessee, and served in all the engagements in which his command participated, and by virtue of promotion he was made captain of his company. Josiah entered the service as a member of the Third Louisiana regiment, Army of Missouri, and held the rank of lieutenant at the time of the surrender. John, who was then but fifteen years of age, went out as a private in a company known as the Davenport Rebels, which was named in honor of Capt. C. C. Davenport. The former was in the Army of Northern Virginia and was in fifty-three active engagements and at the surrender at Appomattox, he was the only commissioned officer of his regiment left to report and sign paroles. He held the rank of second lieutenant. In 1861 C. C. Davenport was elected to the house of representatives and served two years. In 1872 he was again elected to the Louisiana legislature on the John McEnery ticket, but that government failing to be recognized by the President, the McEnery legislature was disbanded. In 1879 he was elected a delegate from Morehouse parish to the constitutional convention. Throughout his career he has been actively engaged in planting and merchandising. In 1882 he, with a few friends, was largely instrumental in inducing the Construction company to locate the Houston, Central Arkansas & Northern railroad at Mer Rouge, La. On November 5, 1863, he was married to Miss Mary Emma Andrews, the daughter of a neighboring planter. Her Christian virtues, training and education had well fitted her to become the wife of a man active in business enterprises, and a mother of whom any child might be fond and proud. Although Captain Davenport has reached the age of fifty-three years, he is still active in business and labors for the advancement of every enterprise tending to benefit his home and community. Through his efforts, with his own means, the entire town of Mer Rouge has been laid off, streets graded and hundreds of water oaks planted to add beauty and pleasure to the town. He has manifested his faith in the future prospects of this place by erecting one of the finest business houses in the South, which, in convenience and ornamental finish would add to ,the appearance of any city. He is also the owner of a number of other buildings of substantial structure and ornamental appearance and, in fact, is a live, progressive and pushing business man, well calculated to perform his duties as a citizen, friend, husband and father with faithfulness and credit. He is the father of six children: A. H., Guy, Joseph A., Ida, Mary Emma and Leon, all of whom still reside with their parents. Mrs. Davenport is a member of the Episcopal church, and she and her husband are leaders in the social circles in which they move.