One of the most prominent and influential men during the early days of Scott county, and one who took a great interest in the development of Northeastern Iowa, was the gentleman whose name heads this sketch.
Adrian H. Davenport first saw the light of day in Shawneetown, Illinois, March 14, 1812, and was a son of Marmaduke S. Davenport, who was appointed Indian agent on Rock Island in 1832. He moved his family to the island the same year. Adrian H. was married on the island in 1833 to Miss Harriet Lane, who proved one of the best wives and a woman who wielded a powerful influence during her lifetime.
In March, 1834, Mr. Davenport made a claim at Rockingham and he, his father, his Uncle James, and Colonel John Sullivan became proprietors of the town site and laid out the town, while the subject of this sketch established a ferry over the Mississippi river from Rockingham to the mouth of Rock river. He also established a store in Rockingham and did a large business, and was the leading spirit of the town during his residence there, which was along in the forties, when Davenport was established as the County seat, which Rockingham made a hard fight to secure. The town was soon deserted and moved to the former city, but Adrian and his father removed to Le Claire in 1847, where they acquired considerable property. He soon became the leading citizen of Le Claire, being the first mayor of the town and reelected several consecutive terms. He also became engaged in river business and for years was captain of the finest steamboats on the upper Mississippi river.
Captain Davenport had the honor of being the second sheriff appointed for Scott County, which was in 1838, under governor Lucas, to succeed Major Frazer Wilson, who was the first sheriff appointed by Governor Dodge, under the Territorial Government of Wisconsin. Captain Davenport served under this appointment until 1839, when the office of sheriff was made elective by a change in the organic law of the Territory, and he was then elected and reelected every two years until 1846, when under the law he could serve no longer. He then retired to private life. In 1848 he purchased the machinery of the Rockingham steam mill, and took it to Le Claire and erected a steam flour and saw mill, and in company with Samuel Lyter engaged extensively in the mercantile business . Mr. Lyter was succeeded by Robert Christie. In a year or so after it was built the mill burned down and he, in company with R. H. Rogers, James Jack and Winchester Sherman, built a much more extensive flouring mill on the same site, and also erected a saw-mill. He was also a member of the company who built the “boat ways” in Le Claire. May 11, 1880, Captain Davenport was stricken with paralysis, and for a month his life hung in the balance, but he recovered only to experience a similar attack a few days before his death, which occurred March 27, 1881, at his home in Le Claire.
Captain Davenport led a useful life. He was always charitable and sociability was one of his strongest traits of character. He was broad in his views and a man held in sacred remembrance by all who knew him during his useful career.
BIOGRAPHIES