I have run many times into “brick walls” in my genealogical research of my family, and this man, Lester Burton Davenport is what I finally found behind one of my walls. I had heard through my cousin Tom McArdell in Minnesota that our great grandfather William Edgar Davenport may have fathered a child early in life before marrying our great grandmother Mary Anne Hyde and fathering our grandfather Frank Howard Davenport and many other aunts and uncles. As noted in an earlier post William also divorced Mary Anne and ended up marrying again (Jennie May Richards) across the country in California, where he passed away in 1938.
In my search I found a reference to a Lester B Davenport listed as a grandson in a 1900 census of Pawtucket, Rhode Island (14 Browne Street). Joseph (Darling Davenport) and Amanda M (Burton) are the parents of William and John Graham Davenport is a brother of Joseph. This had to be the break in the brick wall!
I know it says Daneport on the data but this has to be Davenport. William married Mary Hyde in April of 1883 about a year after Lester was born, so I am guessing that Lester was raised by his grandparents. I have found other sources of information for Lester which confirm his middle name was Burton (which makes sense because William’s grandmother was a Burton). Here is the other information I have been able to find:
Born: March 20, 1882 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Father: William E. Davenport (b. 22 Aug. 1860 in Pawtucket, d. 13 Jul 1938 Glendale, CA)
Mother: Clara Jencks (Have not found any more information other than her name)
Married: Ella May Horton Oct 1, 1900 (who passed away in 1918 at 38 years old)
One child with Ella: Estelle Burton Davenport, born 13 Nov 1900, (date of death?)
In 1910 census only Ella is listed with Estelle and her status is single so it appears their marriage did not last long. Still searching for more information on her.
One child: William E Davenport born Dec 17, 1917 (Date of death??) It is unclear who the mother is (so far in my research), but he is listed as a son of Lester and Catherine in a 1930 census in Lincoln, Rhode Island.
Married: Catherine Meehan Aug 22, 1921 (date of death?). Marriage occurred in Manhattan, New York..
Died: 4 Sep, 1932 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
retravelment.com 
My grandfathers name was William Edward Davenport, I know nothing about him beyond his death date and his wife and 3 kids, of which his daughter is my Mom. He passed away in 1963, Aug 8, in Pawtucket, RI. Wondering if there is a connection.
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I am quite sure that is a connection. I am missing some pieces of the puzzle, but I show Lester Burton Davenport (wife was Ella May Horton) as the father of Estelle Burton Davenport (born Nov 13, 1900, but I can’t find anything else on her) and William Edward Davenport (born Dec 17, 1917 and died Aug 8, 1963 in Rhode Island) who married Kathleen Elizabeth White at some point who died Jan 27 2000. Lester’s dad, William Edgar Davenport is my great grandfather. I have more information about Lester, who would be my step-grand uncle(?) (because his mother Clara Jencks was not my great grandmother). Perhaps we could use email and then share some more information. I think this would make us half second cousins through William Edgar, our common ancestor. I look forward to hearing from you. Frank.
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