Richard Davenport was born in approximately 1714 in New Kent County, Virginia. Records analysis suggests he may have been the grandson of Richard Davenport, listed in the 1677 Headright list of John Webb and John Rea[Ray], and the son of West Davenport, listed on New Kent County Quit Rent Rolls in 1704. By documentation, he had ten known children: Joseph, b.~1736, Hanover County; Charles, b ~1745, Hanover County; John, b.~1748 Louisa County; Richard Jr., b.~1755, Hanover County; Mary, b.~1758, Louisa County; Martin, b.~1760 Albemarle County VA; William, b.~1756 Louisa County; Sarah, b.~1770, Albemarle County; and Martin, b.~1788 Albemarle County. Richard Davenport’s siblings include: Joseph, b.~1717, King William County; Crotia Davenport Kennedy, b.~1727 Hanover County, and possibly Lucy Davenport Venable, although much work remains to be done to verify this last sibling relationship. 

Richard Davenport had his start in New Kent County, but later moved to property straddling the line dividing Hanover/Louisa Counties, and from there, to Albemarle County, VA, where he died in 1792. By DNA and documentary evidence, his children with Elizabeth Benge Hamner shared her Native American heritage. By documentary evidence, he had a child with a woman who was his slave: Martin, b.~ 1788, Albemarle County VA. Her name remains unknown, as does the name of Richard’s first wife.

By DNA evidence, Richard Davenport was also father to two Davenports whose paper-trails lead to a neighboring couple, Pamunkey Davenport John Davenport and his wife Mary Smith. These are: William Davenport, Jr. b.~1738-1742 and Richard Davenport, b.~1750, both in Hanover County. This match is given detailed discussion in A Chronology of the New Kent/Hanover Davenports,

Additionally, descendants of Fielding Woodruff also match the DNA of Richard Davenport. While this match is given greater discussion in A Chronology of the New Kent/Hanover Davenports, interested readers should examine the genealogical information provided by Michael Hébert at the link below.

The name New Kent/Hanover Davenports is drawn from Richard Davenport’s birth in New Kent County and his greater than fifty-year ownership of land on the Hanover/Louisa County Line.

Thank you to Dr. Randi Davenport for this description.