District: 1
Hometown: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Oklahoma County
Birthplace: Gaylesville, Alabama
Spouse: Byrd Ironside
Children:
James S. Davenport was the 10th child of 11 and educated in He taught school and the high school at Greenbrier, Arkansas. studied law and was admitted to the Bar in October 1890. He then moved to Muskogee, Indian Territory in 1890. In 1891 he became a member of the law firm of Denison, Maxey & Davenport with offices in Muskogee and South McAlester.
In 1893 he moved to Vinita where he married the great, great Davenport was elected to a term as a member of the lower house of granddaughter of Cherokee leader Chief John Ross, Guelielma Ross the Cherokee Legislature. He was the Speaker the last two years and was the only white man to ever hold that position. Because of his marriage to Ross he was considered a tribal member. He also served four years as a member of the Cherokee National Council and served as an attorney for the Cherokee Nation. After his wife’s death, Davenport married Byrd Ironside, who was a direct descendent of the famous Shawnee Chief, Tecumseh, in June, 1907.
As a member of the U.S. Congress, Davenport represented Oklahoma’s third district from 1906 to 1908 and from 1910 through 1916. In 1926 Davenport was elected to the Court of Criminal Appeals where he remained until his death. He served 13 years on the Court. Judge Davenport was a member of the Presbyterian Church of Vinita, Woodmen of the World, Knights of Pythias, Elks, Odd Fellows, Oklahoma Historical Society and Oklahoma’s Hall of Fame