The Davenport Cemetery
Northern Bexar Co. Cemeteries of TX
Submitted by Belynda Davenport
Davenport Jack Nov 26 1871 - Dec 21 1913 Granite marker in
the form of a log. Inscription "Woodmen Of The World Memorial Marker".
Marker is broken off its base and laying on the ground. This is my
Great Grandfather.
The old homestead at 2120 Monterey St., Bexar County, Texas
It is well known in my family that - #6 -My Great Great Grandmother
is #4 Davenport Nancy Young 1838 - 1934 Davenport ,
Wife of my Great Great Grandfather -- # 5 Davenport William 1820 -
1901 Born in Washington Co., VA 21 1913, was full
blood Cherokee. The picture I saw, She looks
Indian. I Think I found her in the census it says she is White.
Her Father is -#1 Young John Feb 13 1795 - May 16 1879 Granite
marker. Born in Knox Co., Tenn.
#3 Davenport Willie May 1 1904 Nov 13 1904 Marker shaped like the
Washington Monument, heavily weathered.
I believe this was my Grand Father, Jack Walker Davenport Jr's older
brother who died shortly after birth.
His Mother( Maiden name Davis ), His 2 sisters in their teens, (who
were never around). Grandfather age 5, a Brother age 4 and a
Sister age 3 and all their belongings were thrown out of the house. I
was told because she cut Men's hair and the relatives did not like
her.
My Grandfather wrote a book (after we begged and begged) about his life
a few year before he died and this is a small Part of it what he
wrote.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Growing Pains
by
Jack Davenport
Known by the Grand - kids as (one of them is me)
DADDY-PA
At Sometime before my memory began to set, my Father received a call
from his ailing Father. William Davenport , to come help Him
run the farm. It was a very large Farm and needed lots of supervision.
My Dad sold out of his business in San Antonio
and moved his family to the Davenport Farm. As I understand it, he was
to receive a house and a good bit of land in return,
either by intent, or neglect, the papers were never filled out and signed
before my Grandfather passed away in 1901.
My Dad stayed on to help His Mother, Nancy Young Davenport). Some time
after the above, my Father took sick, and passed away.
He belonged to the Woodsman of the World and they came out in full force
for the funeral, dressed in their Woodsman outfits and
carrying their shiny axes. It was quite an impressive site to see them
marching up the road to the Davenport Cemetery.
The morning after the funeral, all our belongings were thrown out into
the road, what little furniture we had, our bedding and clothing.
I understand that the in-laws ordered it done, but I am sure
Grandmother could have stopped it if she wanted to. Somehow or other, Mother
found a house and got us moved into it before nightfall, located near
Jack Walker Davenport Jr.
I was told by my Father that his Mother must have had an Idea they
were going to do that because she fixed a large pot of beans
and told the kids to eat until they couldn't eat any more.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Also My Grandfather worked at the Witte Memorial Museum San Antonio,
Texas. He started in 1933. I visited it not too long ago,
with my Sister and her kids, and his name is all over the place on the
museum's displays. He wrote two books they published
and owned. Even though he was long gone most of the employees knew
about him and one of them had a copy of the book.
Can you believe he mailed it to me! It was a better copy than the one
the family had.
Snakes
of Bexar County,
Texas
by J Walker Davenport
Field Book
of the
SNAKES OF BEXAR COUNTY, TEXAS
AND VICINITY
The back of the book cover.
A Simplified Key and Notes on Their Behavior
By J. Walker Davenport
Published by
WITTE MEMORIAL MUSEUM
Brackenridge Park
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
1943
Price $2.00 (That was a lot of money being
his salary was $3.00 a week )
______________________________________________________________________________
A section of another story he wrote:
THE BASKET MAKERS
Of The Big Bend of TEXAS
15000-5000 B C
-------------------------
1933-34-35-36 Ad
The story of one small, almost broke, museum's
attempt to save for future generations,
something of the culture of lost civilization.
In 1933 I was doing art-work for the firm of Martin & Allardyce. when
Mr. Martin told me that he had been selected to head up
an expedition, to do some work in the Big Bend of Texas ( I went there
when my kids were young and looked at the displays
on the road in Big Bend. I was about 24 and I did not know till he
wrote this that he made the displays). They took 10 workers with them.
_________________________________________________________________
For the museum Mr. Martin and my Grandfather Help write this book.
PAINTED PEBBLES
FROM THE LOWER PECOS AND BIG BEND
REGIONS OF TEXAS
J. WALKER DAVENPORT
Curator of Archaeology
Witte Memorial Museum
and
CARL CHIEF
Curator of Archaeology
Texas Memorial Museum
BULLETIN V
* * *
Published by
WITTE MEMORIAL MUSEUM
Brackenridge Park
San Antonio, Texas
_______________________________________
And this Book for the Southwest Texas Archaeological Society.
Archaeological Exploration of the Shumla Caves
Report of the GEORGE C. MARTIN EXPEDITION
----------------------------
Southwest Texas Archaeological Society
-----------------------------
Witte Memorial Museum
-----------------------------
June, July and August, 1933
By
GEORGE C. MARTIN
My Grandfather did all the drawing, logging, etc., of artifacts found
in both books. You can only
find a copy in the Austin, Texas Library. And you can't check any of these
out.