William R. Davenport and Elizabeth W. Shirk

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Husband William R. Davenport ^{1 2 3}

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           Born: 1831 - near Watkins Glen, Schuyler Co, NY 1
     Christened: 
           Died: 13 Dec 1888 2
         Buried: 

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         Father: Capt. William Davenport (      -1865) 1 2 4
         Mother: Phylance Tracy (      -1880) 1 2

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       Marriage: 4 Jun 1856 1 2

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Wife Elizabeth W. Shirk ^{2 3}

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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         Father: David Shirk (1806-      ) 5
         Mother: Mary Whitehill (      -      ) 6

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Children

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1 F Mary E. Davenport ¹

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: E. W. Sheldon (      -      ) 1

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2 M Charles W. Davenport ¹

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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3 M Frank R. Davenport ¹

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Bef 1884
         Buried: 

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4 F Helen L. Davenport ^{1 3}

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 1906 - Warren, Warren Co, PA 3
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Edward Ditmars Wetmore (1861-      ) 3 7
           Marr: 9 Jul 1888 3

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General Notes: Husband - William R. Davenport

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In 1846, when fifteen years of age, he began his business career in Erie, Pennsylvania, having for his capital a good name, an ordinary education, health, strength and ambition. He first served in a general store for five years, when the C. & E. R. R. Co. appointed him their local agent, which position he relinquished in 1868, in order to give more active attention to his business interests, created some two years previously in the formation of a partnership with John Fairbairn and Hon. Wm. A. Galbraith, for the manufacture of car wheels and railroad castings; also to perfect the organization of the Erie Car Works. Mr. Davenport became the chief executive of the latter company. In 1874, he organized the American Fusee Co. (limited), and in 1876 came into existence the firm of Davenport & Co., coal dealers. In 1881, the firm of Davenport, Fairbairn & Co. erected at St. Ignace, Michigan, one of the most complete charcoal furnaces in the Union. The pig iron there made was all transported to Erie for manufacture. The wheel works had a capacity of 350 wheels per day; the car works could supply sixteen complete box cars per day, and the two concerns afforded employment to nearly 1,000 men.
For over ten years he was President of the Y. M. C. A., and he and his entire family were members of the Central Presbyterian Church.

1 Editor, History of Erie County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Warner, Beers & Co., 1884), Pg 884.

2 —, Nelson's Biographical Dictionary and Historical Reference Book of Erie County, Pennsylvania (Erie, PA: S. B. Nelson, Publisher, 1896), Pg 611.

3 Joseph Riesenman, Jr., History of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Vol. III (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., Inc., 1943), Pg 416.

4 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 417.

5 Editor, History of Erie County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Warner, Beers & Co., 1884), Pg 884, 951.

6 Editor, History of Erie County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Warner, Beers & Co., 1884), Pg 951.

7 J. S. Schenck, History of Warren County, Pennsylvania (Syracuse, NY: D. Mason & Co., Publishers, 1887), Pg 613.