Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/157

 DAVENPORT

DAVENPORT

Massachusetts, clerk of the court of common pleas and of the supreme court of the state, a member of the governor's council, a state repre- sentative, 1711-13, and a justice of the supreme court of the state, 1715-36. He died in Boston, Mass., April 2, 1736.

DAVENPORT, Addington, clergyman, was born in Boston, Mass., May 16, 1701; son of Addington Davenport, justice of the supreme court of Massachusetts. He was graduated at Harvard in 1719; was admitted to the bar and was attorney -general of the state, 1728-32. He made the voyage to England to receive holy orders, and while there was honored with the M.A. degree from Oxford, 1732. He was minister of St. Andrew's church, Scituate, Mass., after his return until April 15, 1737, when he became assistant rector of King's chapel, the first Epis- copal church in Boston. In May, 1740, he was elected rector of Trinity church, Boston, then first organized. He went on a visit to England, and died in London, Sept. 8, 1746.

DAVENPORT, Edward Loomis, actor, was born in Boston, Mass., Nov. 15, 1814; son of Asher Davenport, keeper of the '•Archway" tavern on North street, Boston. He was edu- cated in his native city, was clerk in a crockery store, and adopted the profession of the stage when twenty -two years old. He made his debut in " A New Way to Pay Old Debts " at Providence, R.I., supporting the elder Booth in his Sir Giles Overreach. Manager Thomas H. Hamlin then engaged him for the Bowery thea- tre, New York city, where he was well received and in 1838 he appeared at the Walnut street theatre, Philadelphia, as Count Montalban in " The Honeymoon." He then returned to Boston and worked hard for nine years, mastering the details of his profession. In 1847 Mrs. Anna Cora Mowatt made him her leading man and he went with her to England where he appeared at the Manchester theatre, Dec. 6, 1847, as Claude Melnotte. His acting created a profound impres- sion in England and Macready engaged him for a short season in his support. His impersonation of William in " Black-eyed Susaif " at the Hay- market theatre, London, was a great success. He was married in London, Jan. 8, 1849, to Mrs. Charles Gill, who was Fanny Elizabeth, daughter of Frederick Vining, manager of Haymarket theatre, and of Miss Bew, daugliter of John Johnstone, the Irish character actor. She was a member of Mrs. Mowatt's company at the time the attachment was formed and later was associ- ated with Mr. Davenport on many of his starring tours. They returned to the United States in 1854 and appeared in A'arious cities under the management of Messrs. Barron, Jarrett, Smith, Wallack and Wheatly, respectively. He was

manager of the Howard athenaeum, and of the new Tremont theatre, Boston, 1859-61, and while at the Howard supported Edwin Booth in a short run of "Julius Ciesar," taking the character of Brutus. He became lessee of the Chestnut street theatre, Philadelphia, Pa., in 1869. His last appearance was in "Daniel Druce " at Booth's. Five daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Davenport. Fanny Lily Gipsy, Blanche Maria, Lily Antoi- nette (Mrs. Frost Thorne), May (Mrs. William Seymour), and Marion Caroline; and two sons, Edgar Longfellow and Henry George Bryant, adopted the stage as a profession and each gained a considerable success. Mrs. Davenport died at Canton, Pa., July 20, 1891. Edward Loomis Davenport died at Canton, Pa., Sept. 1, 1877.

DAVENPORT, Fanny Lily Gipsy, actress, was born in London, England, April 10, 1850: oldest daughter of Edward Loomis and Fanny Elizabeth (Vining) Davenport. She was brought to America in 1854 and was educated in the public schools of Boston, where her father was settled for many years as actor and manager. Her

first speaking part was Prince Charlie in " Faint -Heart Ne'er Won Fair Lady," Feb. 14, 1862, at Niblo's Gar den, New York, and her first adult character was Mrs. Mildmay in " Still Waters Run

Deep," at the Tre- mont theatre, Bos- ton. In 1869, after playing minor

roles at the Arch

street theatre, Philadelphia, she mad( debut as a member of Augustin Daly's com- pany at the Fifth avenue theatre in New York, appearing there during the first season as Rosie Fanquehere in "Play," Maria in " Twelfth Night," Polly Eccles in "Caste," Lazarillo in " Don Ca?sar de Bazan," and other parts. Toward the close of her first season she had become proficient in high comedy, having played Lady Gay Spanker to her father's Sir Harcourt. Among her many noteworthy successes during her second season were Mme. Guichard in " Mon- sieur Alphonse," Ruth Tredgett in "Charity," Nancy Sykes in " Oliver Twist," Lady Teazle in " School for Scandal," Olivia in " A Bold Stroke for a Husband " and Lou Ten Eyck in " Divorce. "' In 1877 she created the part of Mabel Renfrew, in Daly's " Pique," which was written for her.

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