Chester Coulsen Davenport

DAVENPORT BAUMGARDNER

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 4/19/2010 at 22:21:09

Woodbury County History 1984

Chester Coulsen Davenport
By R C Davenport

Chester Coulsen Davenport worked with his father in the dry cleaning business. He was Commander of Monahan Post No. 64 of the American Legion in 1930, when the hosted the State Convention. Chester was a member of the Knights of Columbus, Epiphany Council, the Sioux City Boat Club, and Kiwanis. He served in the US Navy during World War I. He married Margaret Baumgardner, February 26 1924. Margaret had been employed by the Sioux City Tribune for a number of years. They had two children: Robert Chester, born November 21, 1924; and William Coulsen, born July 1, 1929.

Robert followed his father into the dry cleaning business after attending the University of South Dakota and the National Institute of Dry Cleaning in 1948. He married Helen Lockwood, of Chamberlain, South Dakota, in 1947. Their children are: John Robert, born in 1948, living in Des Moines, Iowa; Steven Richard, born in 1952, living in Tucson, Arizona. (Steve is married with two daughters); Thomas Chester, born in 1953, living in Ames, Iowa; Mark Howard, born in 1960, living in Sioux City, married and has two daughters; and Susan Clare, born in 1962, married and living in Sioux City.

Mark Davenport and Susan Davenport Bursell are both working with their father and uncle in the family business. This makes four generations that have been associated with Davenport Cleaners.

William Coulsen married Gracia Gaston of Storm Lake, Iowa, in 1969. They have one son, Andrew, born in 1970. William graduated from Iowa State University and later joined the Davenport Cleaners firm in 1960.