The
The
Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera
OVERVIEW OF THE
COLLECTION
Creator:
Title: Papers
Dates: 1707-1869
Call No.:
Acc. No.: 61x85, 61x86
Quantity: 1 box
Location: 9 C 1
BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT
The decendents of Ebenezer Davenport (1661-1738)
lived in and around
Ebenezer Davenport married three times; his
first two wives died and his third wife, Patience, was disinherited because she
absented herself from the family. Ebenezer had 8 children. Among them was Ebenezer (1706-1785), who
continued the weaving trade, and James (1693-1759), who was an inn keeper. In turn, Ebenezer Jr. married Submit How[e]
in 1759 and had ten children, including Ebenezer (1745-1819) and Isaac
(1730-1799), who continued the weaving trade and married a woman named
Rebecca. James had 22 children,
including John (1752-1842), Josiah (1727- ?), and James Jr. (1735-?).
At this point, genealogical resources end and
the family history becomes unclear.
There is at least one other Isaac (1786-ca. 1818), who married Sarah and
who is possibly the great-grandson of James.
There are at least two more James.
The father (1759-1824) was a shoemaker who married Esther and had ten
children. The son, James (1796-1852),
was a cabinetmaker who married Abigail. He was possibly responsible for the
style of sofa commonly known as the “
SCOPE AND CONTENT
This
collection contains 83 documents of the
ORGANIZATION
The
papers are arranged first by person and then, for the most part,
chronologically. The people are arranged
chronologically as well: Ebenezer I (1661-1758), his wife Patience, his son
Ebenezer (1706-1785), Isaac (1730-1802), Samuel (d.1802), Josiah (d.ca.1820), James
(1759-1824), and James (1796-1832).
Folder 10 contains materials which relate to more than one member of the
PROVENANCE
Purchased
from Paul Richards Autographs,
ACCESS POINTS
People:
Topics:
Finance, Personal.
Real
property, Exchange of.
Decedents'
estates.
Wills.
Inheritance
and succession.
Inventories
of decedents' estates.
Mourning
customs -
Clothing
and dress.
Trust
indentures.
Administration
of estates.
Legal
instruments.
Probate
records.
Decedents'
family maintenance.
Deeds.
Receipts
(Acknowledgments).
Shoemakers.
Weavers.
Cabinetmakers.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF
THE COLLECTION
Location: 9 C 1
Folder 1: Ebenezer Davenport (1661-1738): 1707-1738
68x86.1 Document
dealing with the apprenticeship of John Wales, 1707.
68x86.3 Document outlining the land indenture
contract of Ezakiah [Hezekiah] Morroh, 1715.
68x86.2 Document outlining the indenture
contract of Humphrey Atherton and Ebenezer Davenport to Jacob Royal, 1715.
68x86.4 Order for James and Ebenezer
Davenport to appear in
68x86.5 Indenture contract between Moses
Dubee and Ebenezer Davenport, 1727.
68x86.7 Contract signed by Ebenezer Davenport
promising to pay debt of ten pounds owed to Robert Learl, November 1730.
68x86.6 Will of Ebenezer
68x86.8 Document approving the will of
Ebenezer Davenport, 1738.
Folder 2: Patience
61x86.9 Legal document signed by Patience
Davenport in which she gives up any further claim to the estate of Ebenezer
Davenport after receiving fifteen pounds, 1739.
Folder 3: Ebenezer
Davenport, son (1706-1785): 1749-1787
61x86.21a Agreement
between Ebenezer Davenport and Isaac How, his father-in-law, 1749.
61x86.21b Agreement
between Ebenezer Davenport and Joseph How, 1749.
61x86.20 Deed for
property bought by Ebenezer Davenport from John Wiswall, 1750.
61x86.19 Ebenezer Davenport bond to Joseph How,
1750.
61x86.18 Ebenezer Davenport bond to Joseph How,
1751.
61x86.16 Ebenezer Davenport and Timothy Wales (a
cordwainer) bond to Rev. Jonathan Boman, 1766.
61x86.17 Samuel Topliss [or Topliff] counter
bond to Ebenezer Davenport, 1754.
61x86.15 List of work or items due Ebenezer
61x86.14 Record of sale of land by Ebenezer
Davenport to Josiah Davenport, 1778.
61x86.13 Inventory of the estate of Ebenezer
Davenport, 1785.
61x86.11 List of debts paid by Isaac Davenport
due from the estate of his father, 1785-1786.
61x86.12 Inventory of real estate owned by
Ebenezer Davenport, 1787.
68x86.10a List
of accounts for the estate of Ebenezer Davenport. Dated 1787.
68x86.10b List of items charged or received from
Ebenezer Davenport or his estate; the items on the list are dated 1751-1785
Folder 4: Isaac
Davenport (1730-1799): 1791-1802
61x86.44 Deed for Property sold to James
Davenport by Isaac Davenport, 1791.
61x86.24 Related to real estate owned by Isaac
Davenport and left to his widow, Rebecca.
Document is from Judge of Probate, 1800.
61x86.25 Documents related to real estate of
Isaac Davenport, 1800.
61x86.22a The accounting of the estate of Isaac
Davenport by the administrators of the estate, Rebecca and Samuel Davenport.
61x86.22b List of bills paid by the estate of Isaac
Davenport, 1799-1800; includes expenses of funeral and cost of mourning clothes
for the widow.
61x86.23 Items sold to settle the estate of
Isaac Davenport, includes name of item, buyer, and price.
61x86.26a Document signed by heirs of Isaac
Davenport acknowledging their share of his estate. Paid by Samuel Davenport, administrator.
61x86.26b
Document signed by heirs of Isaac
Davenport stating they are satisfied by the conduct of the administrators of
the estate, 1800.
61x86.27 Document signed by James Davenport on
behalf of Isaac and Josiah Davenport, heirs to the estate of Isaac Davenport,
1800.
61x86.28 Paper signed by heirs to the estate of
Isaac Davenport stating what they had received from Josiah Davenport as payment
for real estate which had formerly been given to this widow as her dower, 1802.
Folder 5: Samuel
Davenport (d. 1802): 1798-1804
61x86.29 Account of the personal estate of
Samuel Davenport; administrators of the estate were Josiah and James Davenport,
n.d.
61x86.30 Account of the personal estate of
Samuel Davenport, 1804.
61x86.31 Account of the personal estate of Samuel
Davenport, 1804.
61x86.32 Bill from Dr. Phinehas Holden to Samuel
Davenport’s estate, for his visits 1798-1802, bill submitted in 1804
61x86.33 Paper signed by the heirs of Samuel
Davenport stating they are satisfied with the accounts of Josiah and James
Davenport, administrators of the will, n.d,
Folder 6: Josiah
Davenport (d.ca.1820): 1796-1821
61x86.39 Legal document naming Josiah Davenport
as guardian with authority over Joshua Leaver [or Seaver], a minor, 1796.
61x86.40 Legal document from the Probate Judge
of the
61x68.41 Legal document naming James Davenport
as executor of the will of Josiah Davenport.
Document is addressed to Samuel Glover, Isaac Withington and James
Blackman, dated April, 1821.
61x86.42a Book of expenses to settle estate of
Josiah Davenport, 1821.
61x86.42b Receipt for coffin for Josiah Davenport
($5.00), 1821.
Folder 7: James
Davenport (1759-1824): 1780-1817
61x68.43 Signed pledge made to James Davenport
for wages paid over seven months in 1780.
Appears to be signed Peter Walker.
61x86.45 Legal document
dated April, 1796. Deals with Warrant of
Survey.
61x86.46 Document
dealing with the sale of property in
61x86.47 Legal document dated August, 1806.
61x86.50 Receipt
dated 1808 for the making of ten barrels of cider by Ebenezer Wales.
61x86.48 Document detailing sale of property
owned by James Davenport to Benjamin Stone.
1809
61x86.49 Ledger sheet dated March, 1810. Items listed include shoes, boots, coffee,
etc. Signed Oliver and James Glover.
61x86.34 Order of Distribution of the estate of
Sarah Mellish. James Davenport was named
as administrator. Dated June, 1817
61x86.35 Letter of Administration. Concerned James Davenport’s duties as
administrator of a will. February, 1817
61x86.36 The account of James Davenport’s
payments related to settling the estate of Sarah Mellish. List of expenses of burial, etc. June, 1817
61x86.37 Inventory
of the estate of Sarah Mellish, March 1817
61x86.51 Deed
for land sold to James Davenport by Lewis Leach. September 1817
Folder 8: James
Davenport (1796-1852): 1818-1833:
no acc. no. Document outlining the transfer of pew
number 21 (or 71) in the Meeting-House of First Parish in
61x86.53 Power of attorney dated September,
1818, giving James Davenport authority to examine what may have been due Isaac
Davenport, deceased.
61x86.54 Letter from War Department Pension
Office informing James Davenport that he was not entitled to a pension. Sept. 1820
61x86.56 Order appointing James Davenport to
serve as a Corporal of a Company of Infantry under the command of Capt. Eaton
in the First Regiment of the Militia of Massachusetts. May, 1820
61x86.57 Order appointing James Davenport a
Sergeant of Infantry commanded by Capt. Blackman. Dated May 1823. Other orders on back of document are dated
Sept. 1825.
61x86.58 Document concerning sale of property to
James Davenport by Isaac and Sarah Davenport.
Sept. 1825
61x85.2 Document signed by Hardin Branch
transferring to James Davenport the exclusive right to use his invention, an
improved method of making beds. June
1827
61x85.1 Document outlining agreement between
the brothers and sisters of James Davenport with him concerning land, etc., 1826
61x85.3 Legal document concerning sale of
property belonging to Edmund Baker to James Davenport. June 1830
61x85.4 Norfolk Mutual Fire Insurance Company
policy sold to James Davenport for insuring buildings and household furniture
against fire. 1833
61x86.59 Letter from Esther Davenport, widow of
James Davenport, requesting a pension from the
Folder 9: James
Davenport (1796-1852): 1839-1869:
61x86.55a Inventory
of household items, dated Sept. 1834
61x86.55b Inventory of the estate of James
Davenport.
61x86.55c Second inventory of the estate of James
Davenport of
61x86.62 Document from the Judge of Probate to
Abigail Davenport naming her as executor of will of James Davenport,
cabinetmaker, November 1852.
61x86.61 Personal letter addressed to “Dear Sister”
from a brother, Thos. N. Larel(?). Letter
is in response to her husband’s death.
November 1852
61x86.60a Letter to Mrs. James Davenport dated
December 1852, from William Withington, Secretary of the Union Lodge. He sent her a copy of resolution adopted at
lodge meeting.
61x86.60b Copy of Resolution of the Union Lodge
expressing their sorrow at the death of James Davenport.
61x85.5 Inventory of the estate of James
Davenport filed with the Judge of Probate.
1853.
61x85.63 Bill addressed to the estate of James
Davenport for town, country, and state taxes n
Folder 10:
Miscellaneous
61x86.38 Inventory of women’s clothing from the
estate of S. Millish and her daughter.
n.d.
61x86 Scrap of paper with names of the
children of James and Esther Davenport and their dates of birth (10 children)
on one side. The other side of this
paper lists names and dates of deaths and cause (smallpox, cancer, and one
member slain by British troops).
61x86.65 Appears to be a record of land given to
various people, mentions Ebenezer and Thomas Davenport. Earliest date is 1692.
61x86.66 Paper listing distribution of land;
note on back says “possibly the estate of Samuel Davenport.”
61x86.68 Script for funeral, outlining
responses, etc.
61x86.64 Deed for property sold by Theophiles
Curtiss to Robert Howard,
61x86.67 Inventory of the estate of John
Williams of
61x86.69 Account of farm produce sold to Ephraim
Davenport, 1817.