Davenport, John, 1597-1670

John Davenport (1597-1669/70) was reared in Coventry, Warwickshire, England. He was curate of St. Lawrence Jewry in London from 1619 to 1624, and graduated from Oxford in 1625. Davenport served as vicar of St. Stephen's parish in London from 1625 to 1633. In that year he fled to Amsterdam, Holland, when his increasingly Puritan views incurred the disfavor of the new Archbishop of Canterbury, William Laud (1573-1645). In 1637, Davenport arrived in Boston, Mass., and became first minister of the New Haven Colony in 1638. He became actively involved in opposing the views of the Synod of 1662 (which resulted in the Half-Way Covenant), as well as apposing the consolidation of New Haven with the Connecticut colony. In 1667, amidst much scandal concerning the manner of his dismissal from the New Haven parish, Davenport became pastor of the First Church in Boston, Mass., where he died two years later.

John Davenport was baptized at the Church of the Holy Trinity, in Coventry, England, on April 9, 1597, presumably shortly after his birth. He was the fifth son of Henry Davenport, who was mayor of Coventry in 1613. He attended Oxford for a short time, but was forced to drop out for financial reasons, only to return in 1625 when he received a Bachelor of Divinity degree Magdalen College. By 1615, Davenport was already preaching and in 1624, he was elected vicar at St. Stephen's in London, despite ecclesiastical objections that he had Puritan leanings. Though he confessed complete conformity at the time, Davenport became increasingly more Puritan and on August 5, 1633, fled England for Haarlem, in the Netherlands. He fell into conflict there too, and returned to England in 1637 with the intention of sailing for America. Davenport arrived in Boston on June 26, 1637, and in April 1638 settled in New Haven, where Davenport became pastor of First Church. As pastor of the town, Davenport was one of the most influential figures in the early history of New Haven. However, he was unable, despite earnest resistance, to prevent New Haven from being annexed by the larger colony of Connecticut in 1662. Davenport died in Boston, in March of 1670.

John Davenport: English-born Puritan clergyman; founder of New Haven, Connecticut. Stephen Marshall: Presbyterian minister; influential preacher to the English Parliament.

John Davenport (1597-1670) was a Congregational clergyman in colonial New England.

John Davenport was baptized at the Church of the Holy Trinity, in Coventry, England, on April 9, 1597, presumably shortly after his birth. He was the fifth son of Henry Davenport, who was mayor of Coventry in 1613. He attended Oxford for a short time, but was forced to drop out for financial reasons, only to return in 1615 when he received a Bachelor of Divinity degree Magdalen College. By 1615, Davenport was already preaching and in 1624, he was elected vicar at St. Stephen's in London, despite ecclesiastical objections that he had Puritan leanings. Though he confessed complete conformity at the time, Davenport became increasingly more Puritan and on August 5, 1633, fled England for Haarlem, in the Netherlands. He fell into conflict there too, and returned to England in 1637 with the intention of sailing for America. Davenport arrived in Boston on June 26, 1637, and in April, 1638 settled in New Haven, where Davenport became pastor of First Church. As pastor of the town, Davenport was one of the most influential figures in the early history of New Haven. However, he was unable, despite earnest resistance, to prevent New Haven from being annexed by the larger colony of Connecticut in 1662. Davenport died in Boston, in March of 1670.

Clergyman.