The Possible Parentage Of Phebe [Davenport] Borden

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Kynge Rycharde
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The Possible Parentage Of Phebe [Davenport] Borden

Post by Kynge Rycharde »

I am a new member who grew up in Dartmouth MA, not far from Fall River. I first became interested in genealogical research in the mid-70s, and since then, have discovered many new things about my family. Among them is a relationship to Lizzie via the Gifford family [sixth cousins, five times removed].

The one thing that has always puzzled me is that there has been, at least to my knowledge, no record of the ancestry of Lizzie's paternal grandmother, Phebe Davenport. All that is known of her is that she was born in Little Compton RI, circa 1789 [Fanny Corey Bowen, The Descendants of John Bowen, p.25; 1850 FC, Fall River MA; Fall River VR, 75:69, no parents listed].

Since Andrew Borden was the oldest child, born 1822, it seems that she and Abraham Borden were married in the early 1820s. I decided to check the 1820 FC on Ancestry.com and found that there was a Caleb Davenport residing in Troy [now Fall River] MA. The household consisted of 1 male and 1 female, ages 45 or more, 1 female, age 26-44, and 1 other person.

Since the younger female was born in the same time period as Phebe, I checked the 1800 Federal Census. At that time, Caleb Davenport was residing in Tiverton RI. The household consisted of 1 male and 1 female, ages 45 or more, 1 male and 1 female, ages 16-25, and 2 females, ages 10-15. Phebe would have been counted in the 10-15 age group.

I then headed over to HeritageQuest and accessed Caleb's Revolutionary War pension file [#S34305]. In a deposition, dated 26 June 1820, Caleb Davenport stated that he was about 70 years old; was of Little Compton RI, but was now residing in Troy MA; that his family consisted of himself, his wife, age about 70 years, and one daughter, age about 36 years.

It should also be noted that Caleb had a sister named Phebe [Wilbour, Little Compton Families, 1:226-227].

Arnold, in Vital Records of RI 1636-1850, states that Hannah Davenport, wife of Caleb, became a member of the First Baptist Church in Tiverton RI in 1780. An entry from Rootsweb Worldconnect gives her last name as Brownell, although no source is given for this.

The proof that Caleb and Hannah [Brownell?] Davenport are the parents of Phebe [Davenport] Borden may lie in the probate records in Taunton MA. Perhaps some enterprising person could go there and check for a probate record for either a Caleb Davenport, who probably died in the summer of 1825, as he received his last pension payment in March of that year, or for a Hannah Davenport. An abstract or a copy of the file may answer the question once and for all. Hopefully, someone who has access to the probate records can check it out and report back on what they found.

Kindest regards to all,

Rick Turner
Bemidji MN
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joe
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Post by joe »

Hi Rick,
Welcome and I'm glad to have another genealogist on the forum.
I've found that Phoebe Davenport's father was Lemuel Barker and her mother was Maria Tripp. I have no proof of this, however. Got that info from 1850 Tiverton federal census. So far, I've not found anything else. Keep us updated if you discover anything else.
Joe
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Kat
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Post by Kat »

Hi Rick!
Hey Joe- did you check Hattie Weld Borden genealogy? Borden Gen 6 or 7 maybe?
I haven't had a chance.
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Post by twinsrwe »

Hi Rick. Welcome to the forum; I hope you enjoy it.

Unfortunately, I don't have anything to add to your topic, but I did want to welcome you.
In remembrance of my beloved son:
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Kat
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Post by Kat »

I checked the Hattie Borden Weld and I followed Richard 393 in the Sixth Generation (pg. 139) through to Abraham in the 8th generation, but no info on Miss Davenport.

I always wondered if she was related to the Davenports who owned MB's house on French Street?

I'll keep looking. Have not checked online yet.
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Update

Post by Kynge Rycharde »

Recently, I engaged the services of the NEHGS Research Department to inquire further into the possibilty that Caleb and Hannah Davenport were the parents of Phebe (Davenport) Borden, wife of Abraham Bowen Borden. Here was their response:

"We began our search by consulting the Bristol County Index to Probate Records. 1667-1881. We did not find any entries for Caleb Davenport. We did locate entries for a Hannah B. Davenport, Hannah C. Davenport, and Phoebe Davenport. Hannah B. and Hannah C. Davenport are unlikely wives of Caleb, since they died in 1877 and 1880 respectively. The guardianship for a Phoebe Davenport cannot be for a daughter of Caleb, since it occurred well after...Phoebe's marriage to Abraham."

"Since we did not locate any evidence that would connect the Davenport family and the Borden family in the probate files we searched, we then consulted land records. We searched both the grantor and grantee indexes for Caleb or Hannah Davenport, but did not find any entries for this family."

Since there appears to be no land or probate evidence to prove or disprove a connection between Phebe and Caleb Davenport, the conclusion that Caleb was the father of Phebe must remain possible but unproven.

Rick in Bemidji MN.
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Kat
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Post by Kat »

Thanks for the update! I was just yesterday thinking of asking MB if his Davenport house had any genealogy stories attached to it, in case they were related.
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Post by nbcatlover »

I've recently come across several Barker family lists that list Lemuel Barker and Maria Tripp as parents to Phebe Barker (b. 1794) who married Abraham Bowen Borden. One source lists her name as Phoebe Davenport Barker. Lemuel & Maria married in Westport. The Barker family was from Dartmouth at one point--Lemuel was a farmer and lumberman.

Like Joe, I don't have an official documentation at this time. Still looking. Previously had seen 1789 as birth date for Phoebe.
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Post by nbcatlover »

Found this on Find a Grave:

Phoebe Barker Borden
Memorial
Photos
Flowers
Edit
Learn about sponsoring this memorial...
Birth: 1794
Death: Mar. 8, 1868



Burial:
Beech Grove Cemetery
Westport Point
Bristol County
Massachusetts, USA
Plot: BORDEN CEMETERY #45

Created by: ALBERT WARD BORDEN JR.
Record added: Sep 14, 2008
Find A Grave Memorial# 29795977
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Post by nbcatlover »

Caleb may still be in the running...

According to Representative men and old families of southeastern Massachusetts (see Google Books), Phebe Barker married Abraham Borden, son of JONATHAN BORDEN and ELIZABETH BOWEN. This Abraham was a farmer and lumberman in Westport and had 3 children: Christopher, Rhoda, and Maria R.

It seems to be the wrong Phebe Davenport Barker marrying another Abraham (Bowen) Borden.

It's like the old saying "Right church, wrong pew."
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Post by Shelley »

Alice Russell is in Beech Grove Westport too.
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Post by nbcatlover »

From private, but as yet unverified sources, Phoebe (as her descendants spell it) was born on August 25, 1789 in Rhode Island (probably Little Compton or Tiverton). She and Abraham have their marriage date cited as January 17, 1813 (earlier that the "before 1822" usually cited). Freetown was mentioned as a possible marriage location. Her death was October 13, 1853 in Fall River at the age of 64.

I was told to look for The Descendants of John Bowen by Fanny Corey Bowen as a reference source.

The 1790 Federal Census cites the following Davenport heads of households in the Little Compton area as:
NAME LN PG SH
Davenport Ephraim 12 7 360 pg354.txt Tiverton
Davenport Ephraim 7 15 368 pg354.txt Tiverton
Davenport Gideon 7 15 310 pg296.txt Newport
Davenport Jeremiah 28 6 381 pg376.txt Little Compton
Davenport John 19 7 360 pg354.txt Tiverton
Davenport Jonathan 11 7 344 pg338.txt Portsmouth
Davenport Jonathan 11 4 379 pg376.txt Little Compton
Davenport Pardon 13 7 360 pg354.txt Tiverton
Davenport Thomas 26 5 380 pg376.txt Little Compton
Davenport William 6 7 382 pg376.txt Little Compton
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Post by nbcatlover »

Hi Rick--my work hours have kept me from doing any research at the library. I've been hunting on the internet with no success. Phoebe/Phebe Davenport was a pretty popular name, but I haven't found a match for Abraham yet.

My most recent "lead" is to look for a connection to the Bourn/Bourne family. Haven't found anything yet, however.

Let me know if you make any progress.

Thanks-Cynthia
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Post by nbcatlover »

While many births in the early years of this country were recorded nowhere but in the family bible (if they could read and write) and Davenport could be correct, is it possible we've got the last name wrong???

Check this out:
Massachusetts Deaths and Burials, 1795-1910 for Andrew J. Borden

Andrew J. Borden
Gender Male
Burial Date
Burial Place
Death Date 04 Aug 1892
Death Place Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts
Age 70
Birth Date 1822
Birthplace
Occupation
Race
Marital Status
Spouse's Name
Father's Name Abraham B. Borden
Father's Birthplace
Mother's Name Phebe Danafort
Mother's Birthplace
Indexing Project (Batch) Number I09972-5
System Origin Massachusetts-EASy
Source Film Number 961506
Reference Number 1340
www.beta.familysearch.org/

I've done some early research and the consensus is Danafort is a surname that was stardardized into Danforth. There were numerous Danforths in the Taunton and Providence areas going back to the early 1700s. In one family tree, I found Danforths who married Wilmarths, and Reads. Is it just a coincidence that Abraham Bowen Borden's 2nd wife was a Wilmarth?

Is it possible that the information on Andrew's death certificate is correct?
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Post by nbcatlover »

There is a Samuel Danforth who married a Phebe Oak in Bolton, MA. They had 7 kids and not much is known about this family except their names. One daughter was Phebe Danforth born circa 1803. She might be a Danforth possibility.

Note: The original Danforths were from Newbury, MA, and some branches mingled heavily with Morses.

Note again: This is all speculative thinking...not proven as fact.
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Post by nbcatlover »

Actually, the wrong road may have taken me down a better road. Chasing Danforths, I came across another source that says Phoebe is a Davenport born probably in Rhode Island in 1790. This info is also listed for Phoebe in the 1850 Census. This same souce indicated that she is a descendant of William Wood and wife Martha Earle.

Here is some unofficial data I've found of their offspring:

William Wood 1 was born in 1642 in Of Dartmouth, Bristol, Ma. He died on 3 Feb 1696 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island. He married Martha Earle about 1662 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island.

Martha Earle 1 was born in 1646 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island. She died in 1696 in Portsmouth, Newport, Ri. She married William Wood about 1662 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island.

They had the following children:

F i Margaret Wood 1 was born in 1686 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island.
M ii William Wood 1 was born estimated 1668 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island.
M iii Josiah Wood 1 was born about 1674 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island.
F iv Wood 1 was born in 1682 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island.
M v Jehu Wood 1 was born about 1675 in Of Dartmouth, Bristol, Ma.
M vi Joseph Wood 1 was born about 1680 in Of Dartmouth, Bristol, Ma.
F vii Sarah Wood 1 was born in 1684 in Of Dartmouth, Bristol, Ma.
M viii Daniel Wood 1 was born about 1681 in Of Dartmouth, Bristol, Ma. He died on 11 Feb 1758.
F ix Rebecca Wood 1 was born in 1688 in Of Dartmouth, Bristol, Ma.
F x Mary Wood 1 was born on 23 May 1689 in Dartmouth, Bristol, Ma. She died on 27 Jan 1706.
M xi William Wood 1 was born on 19 Apr 1691 in Dartmouth, Bristol, Ma. He died on 6 Mar 1772.
F xii Rachel Wood 1 was born on 19 Apr 1691 in Dartmouth, Bristol, Ma. She died on 19 Apr 1714.
M xiii Isaac Wood 1 was born on 22 Apr 1693 in Dartmouth, Bristol, Ma. He died on 19 Jul 1741.
M xiv Jonathan Wood 1 was born on 22 May 1697 in Dartmouth, Bristol, Ma. He died on 10 Jul 1757 in Dartmouth, Bristol, Mass.
M xv Jerydiah Or Judediah Wood 1 was born on 26 Jul 1700 in Dartmouth, Bristol, Ma.
F xvi Ruth Wood 1 was born on 9 Apr 1702 in Dartmouth, Bristol, Ma.
F xvii Meribah Wood 1 was born on 12 Apr 1704 in Dartmouth, Bristol, Ma.
M xviii George Wood
F xix Margaret Wood 1 was born in 1664 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island.
M xx John Wood 1 was born in 1664 in Portsmouth, Newport, Ri. He died on 22 Feb 1740 in Portsmouth, Newport, Ri. He was buried about 26 Feb 1739/1740 in Old Commons Cem., Little Compton, Newport, Ri.

As you can see, none of their immediate offspring lived long enough to parent a child born in 1790. With 20 kids, one can only hope their children were not quite so prolific, as Phoebe would be 2-3 generations away. Was told she was probably born in Portsmouth. Have found nothing on RI Vital Records thus far.
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Post by Kat »

Thank you Cynthia for your hard work!

May I add this genealogy here- I had attached it to the Forum elsewhere in the past. Notice our Abraham is under Martha and not yet married in my example. This is just for general reference for your topic here.


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Post by nbcatlover »

While searching Danforth/Danfort, I found Damfort which some engines return Davenport--then there's Devenport, Devinport, Dauneport, Daunporte, de Dauneport and several more permutations that have pretty much been standardized to Davenport.

Where, oh where, can our Phoebe/Phobe/Phebe/Pheby be?
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