Preceded by Nathaniel Smith Party Federalist Party Citizenship United States | Political party Federalist Succeeded by Samuel W. Dana Name James Davenport Resigned August 3, 1797 | |
Born October 12, 1758
Stamford, Connecticut, U.S. ( 1758-10-12 ) Spouse(s) Abigail Fitch Davenport and Mehitable Coggshall Davenport Relations James Davenport and John Davenport Children Elizabeth Coggshall Davenport, Abigail Fitch Davenport, Mary Ann Davenport and Frances Louise Davenport Role Former U.S. Representative Died August 3, 1797, Stamford, Connecticut, United States Education Yale University, Yale College | ||
Previous office Representative 1796–1797 | ||
James Davenport (October 12, 1758 – August 3, 1797) was an eighteenth-century American lawyer, politician and judge. He served as a U.S. Representative from Connecticut.
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Biography
Davenport was born in Stamford, Connecticut, the son of Abraham Davenport, and Elizabeth (Huntington) Davenport. He graduated from Yale College in 1777. He served in the commissary department of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. He served as judge of the court of common pleas and was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1785 to 1790. Davenport served in the Connecticut State Senate from 1790 to 1797, and was a member of the Connecticut council of assistants from 1790 to 1796.
He was a judge of the Fairfield County Court from 1792 until 1796. He was elected as a Federalist candidate to the Fourth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of James Hillhouse, and was reelected to the Fifth Congress. Davenport served in Congress from December 5, 1796 until his death in Stamford on August 3, 1797.
Personal life
Davenport married Abigail Fitch on May 7, 1780. They had one daughter together, Elizabeth Coggshall Davenport. Davenport married his second wife Mehitable Coggshall on November 6, 1790. Davenport had three daughters with Mehitable, Abigail Fitch Davenport, Mary Ann Davenport and Frances Louise Davenport.
Davenport's uncle, also named James Davenport, was a noted clergyman. Davenport's brother John Davenport also served in the United States Congress.