James S. Davenport
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Oklahoma
In office
November 16, 1907 – March 3, 1909
Preceded byDistrict Created
Succeeded byCharles E. Creager
Constituency3rd district
In office
March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1917
Preceded byCharles E. Creager
Succeeded byThomas Alberter Chandler
Constituency3rd district (1911–1915)
1st district (1915–1917)
Personal details
Born(1864-09-21)September 21, 1864
Gaylesville, Alabama
DiedJanuary 3, 1940(1940-01-03) (aged 75)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
NationalityAmerican
Political partyDemocratic

James Sanford Davenport (September 21, 1864 – January 3, 1940) was a U.S. Representative from Oklahoma and a member of the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. He served on the Congressional committee that created the first roads and highways committee in the U.S. House.[1]

Early life and career

Born on a farm near Gaylesville, Alabama, Davenport moved with his parents to Conway, Arkansas, in 1880. He attended the common schools, Vilona (Arkansas) High School, and Greenbrier (Arkansas) Academy. He studied law.

He was admitted to the bar of Faulkner County on February 14, 1890, and commenced practice in Conway. In October of that year, Davenport moved to Muskogee, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma), and in 1893 to Vinita, where he engaged in the practice of law.

Political career

He served as member of the Territorial council 1897-1901, serving as speaker the last two years of his term. He was one of the attorneys for the Cherokee Nation from 1901-1907. He served as mayor of Vinita in 1903 and 1904.

Davenport was elected as a Democrat to the 60th Congress on September 17, 1907, and served from November 16, 1907, when Oklahoma was admitted as a State into the Union, until March 3, 1909. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1908 to the 61st Congress.

Davenport was elected to the 62nd, 63rd, and 64th Congresses (March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1917). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1916 to the 65th Congress. He resumed the practice of law in Vinita. He was elected judge of the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals in November 1926.

Death

He was reelected in 1932 and served until his death in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, January 3, 1940. He was interred in Fairview Cemetery, Vinita, Oklahoma.

Electoral history

1907 Oklahoma's 3rd congressional district election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic James S. Davenport 26,370 52.73
Republican Frank C. Hubbard 23,643 47.27
Total votes 50,013 100.00
Democratic win (new seat)
1908 Oklahoma's 3rd congressional district election[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles E. Creager 24,952 48.30
Democratic James S. Davenport (incumbent) 23,881 46.23
Socialist Winston T. Banks 2,827 5.47
Total votes 51,660 100.00
Republican gain from Democratic

References

  1. ^ Hanneman, Carolyn G., "Davenport, James Sanford (1840-1940) Archived 2008-12-31 at the Wayback Machine," Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture Archived 2010-05-31 at the Wayback Machine (accessed May 27, 2010).
  2. ^ "OK District 03 Race - Sep 17, 1907". Our Campaigns. April 25, 2008. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  3. ^ "OK District 03 Race - Nov 03, 1908". Our Campaigns. April 25, 2008. Retrieved February 20, 2022.

External links

U.S. House of Representatives Preceded byDistrict Created Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma's 3rd congressional district 1907-1909 Succeeded byCharles E. Creager Preceded byCharles E. Creager Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma's 3rd congressional district 1911-1915 Succeeded byCharles D. Carter Preceded byBird Segle McGuire Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma's 1st congressional district 1915-1917 Succeeded byThomas Alberter Chandler
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma
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