Davenport

William T. Davenport and his wife, Mary C. (Cauthorn), became residents of Marion County in 1860. William's paternal grandfather was born in England and came to this country to settle in Virginia. He took part in the Revolutionary War and died in South Carolina. William's parents were George W. and Mary (Weemes) Davenport and their family consisted of six sons and six daughters; William was the oldest child.

Mary's parents were Tilman G. Weemes and Elizabeth (Cauthorn) Weemes, natives of Virginia and Kentucky, respectively.

William and Mary were married in 1849 in Alabama. Soon after coming to Arkansas, William enlisted in Company A, 14th Arkansas Infantry, where he served during the entire Civil War. He and Mary were parents of ten children: George, Frank, John, Thomas, Lawrence, Louise, Julia and Robert. Two children died in infancy. William was born October 13,1822 and died December 3,1898; Mary was born April 22,1829 and died July 13,1900.

Several of their children married and lived in Marion County for some time, but George (born in September 1849 and died in May 1922) was the only one to remain in Marion County to raise his family. Most of the Davenports residing here now are his descendants. Although he only had a fourth grade education, George was a prolific reader and was known as a "learned" man with many skills. He married Martha Moore, daughter of Alfred and Lavina (Marlow) Moore, and they were the first family (or one of the first) to live in the vicinity now known as Mull. They were the parents of eleven children: Mary, Ida, Tom, Oliver, Charlie, Jim, Virgil, Gena, Elizabeth, Lona and Whit. Mary married Eb Williams and they had six children: Lily, Hezekiah, Elmer, Lizzie, Frank and Hazel. All married and raised families in Marion County. Lizzie died in 1934 and Hezekiah died in 1968. Mary and Eb are also deceased.

Ida married Eif Dixon and they had six children: Flora, Ora, Ona, Claude, Clyde and Hurley. Ida died at the age of 99.

Tom married Betty (Fletcher) and they had eight children: Ira, George, Claude, Vance, Bertha, Elva, Ellie, and Olsie. Vance died in childhood; Tom, Betty and George are deceased.

Lona married Tom Langston and died shortly thereafter. Charlie married Saphronia (Seats) and they had seven children: Cora, Homer, Floyd, Carmen, Clarie, Lenora and Magnolia. Homer married and raised his family in Marion County; Carmen and his wife now live in Yellville; Cora married and raised her family in Marion County where she died in 1962; and Charlie and Saphronia are deceased.

Oliver and Rosa (Seats) had seven children: Nolan, Elmon, Eugene, Walter, Nellie, Carl, and Eurple. Eurple, Nolan and Elmon are deceased. Eugene and Walter, with their families, are in Marion County but Oliver and Rosa are deceased.

Virgil married Florence Dixon. Their nine children were: Freida, Victor, Doyle, Ivy, Iris, Virgil, Jr., Doris May, Gerald, and Glover, who died in infancy; Virgil died in 1974, but the others are Marion County residents.

Jim married Mabel Dillard and they became parents of eleven children. These were: Ulis, Lee, Holland, Flonnie, Audrey, Lizzie, Lulu, Goldie, Joyce Ann, Rue and Avil. Jim and Mabel are deceased and Ulis died in 1976.

Gena married Riley Baker and their children are: Burley, Glena, Ancil and Pauline. Burley's family is the only one residing in Marion County.

Elizabeth married Sherman Bean and their two children were: Virgil and Jessie. Elizabeth and Virgil are buried in California where Jessie and her family reside.

Whit married Rosa Dillard and their thirteen children are: Floy, Loy, Odale, DeMoia, Obedia, Almeda, Ward, Donna, Glen, Zell, Dwayne, Linda, and Joe. Donna died in 1945 but the other children, with their families, are residents of Marion County with the exception of Floy, Linda and Loy. Loy died in 1972. Whit and Rosa now reside about six miles south of Yellville.

George and Martha Davenport now have five generations of descendants living in Marion County.