Page:A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Colonial Gentry Vol 1.djvu/43

BURKE'S COLONIAL GENTRY. 23 Babmport of JSeatimont. DAVENPORT, SIR SAMUEL, K.O.M.G, LL.D., J.P., of Beaiimont, near Adelaide, South Australia, vice-president of the South Australian Branch of the Geographical Society of Australasia, h. at Shirburn, co. Oxford, 5th March, 1818 ; m. 1st June, 1842, Margaret Eraser, only daughter of the late William Lennox Cleland, Esq., of Calcutta, barrister-at-law, by Harriet Erskine {nee Fullerton), his wife, but has no issue. He settled in South Australia, 1842; was crown nominee of Legislative Council 1846 — 47; non- official member of the partly elective Legislative Council which passed the Constitution Act, 1855 — 56 ; elected member of Legislative Council, and first minister therein under responsible government, 1861 ; member of the Legis- lative Council, 1857 — 66 ; hon. executive commissioner for the colony at International Exhibitions of London, 1851, Philadelphia, 1876, Sydney, 1879, and Melbourne, 1880; assistant executive commissioner for South Australia at the Indian and Colonial Exhibition, held in London, 1886 ; seven years president of the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society, and fifteen years president of the Chamber of Manufactures, both of South Australia ; hon. LL.D. Cambridge, 1886. He was created a knight-bachelor 1884, and K.C.M.G. 1886. ILmtage. Tlie Davenports descend from Ormus de Davenport, living in the time of the Conquest. This family was seated at Great Wigston, in Leicestershire, in the 16th century, where they resided at the Moated House, which was standing till abont 1745, the site being now the property of Sir Samuel Davenport's brother, Mr. Henry Devereux Davenport. There is a tradition in the family that this property was bought for a younger son of the Davynports of Bramhall, Cheshire, in the 16th century. In that century (1553) Thomas Davynporte was mayor of Leicester. He en- tertained Makt Queen of Scots in Leicester Castle. His son purchased lands at Q-reat Wigston, in the parish registers of which place entries occur relating to the family from the commencement of the registers in 1569. Numerous monumental tablets exist in the parish church of Grreat Wigston, of which some members of the family were vicars. John Davenport, Esq., of The Moat House, Great Wigston, Leicestershire, b. 1738, ni. 1768, Elizabeth, daughter of John Marriott, Esq. of Everdon, co. Northampton, and d. 20th Sep- tember, 1788, leaving, amongst other issue, Geob&b Davenport, Esq., banker, of Oxford, and of Great Wigston, fourth son, b. at Wigston, co. Leicester, 14th July, 1782, m. at St. James's Church, Piccadilly, London, 1st June, 1805, Jane Devereux, daughter of Joseph and Jane Davies, of Mineweare, Pem- brokeshire, and d. at Oxford, 2nd December, 1846, aged 64, having had by her (who d. at Oxford, 25th March, 1840, aged 61), I. George Francis, of Adelaide, South Australia, m. his cousin, Eliza Daven- port, of Wigston, CO. Leicester, and d. in Adelaide, 8th April, 1843, having had issue, 1. George Henry, d. at Toowoomba, Queensland, January, 1881. 2. Charles James, d. November, 1886. 1. Emily Jane, m. R. B. Rtugrose, Esq. II. John Marriott, of Oxford, over fifty years clerk of the peace for co. Oxford, m. Sophia, daughter of Thomas Walker, Esq., of Heathfield, Oxon, and d. 3Ist January, 1882, leaving issue six sons and one daughter. III. Robert, of Battunga, South A.ustraha, J.P., m., and has issue fl.ve sons and two daughters. IV. Samuel (Sir), K.C.M.G., LL.D., J.P., of Beaumont, near Adelaide. T. Henry Devereux, formerly of Ealing, CO. Middlesex, now of GranviUe-road, Eastbourne, Sussex ; m., and has issue three sons and four daughters. I. Mary, in. George Venables, Esq. of Cookham, co. Berks, and d. in 1883. II. Jane Rose, d. anm. 1887. III. Maria, m. Robert Brough- Watson, Esq. of Swanland Manor, co. York, d. s.p. 1879. iv. Rhoda Grace. Arms used — Arg. a chev. between three cross crosslets fitchee sa. Crest — A felon's head