Eastland, Texas native Harbert Davenport (1882-1957) married Elizabeth Pettit in 1904 and they moved to Austin in 1906. In 1908 Davenport earned his L.L.B. degree from the University of Texas. After practicing law in Anahuac, in 1912 he moved to Brownsville to work as a law associate to Judge James B. Wells, Jr. (1850–1923). Davenport became a second lieutenant in the air corps during World War I, and then returned to legal practice. He wrote several legal and historical articles and was a member of the executive council of the Texas State Historical Association, 1922-1955. He acted as president of the TSHA, 1939-1942 and also served as a member of the Brownsville school board, 1924-1932. Additionally, Davenport is known for his writings on James Walker Fannin, Jr., a commander associated with the Goliad Massacre and Campaigns, 1835-36.
Sources: Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. Davenport, Harbert, http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/DD/fda21.html (accessed July 7, 2010).
Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. Fannin, James Walker, Jr., http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/FF/ffa2.html (accessed July 7, 2010).
From the guide to the Davenport, Harbert Papers 1952; 61-039; 62-071; 63-037; 71-099., 1800, 1835-1836, 1923, (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)
