Addie Davenport

Addie Davenport

Female 1862 - 1928  (66 years)

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  • Name Addie Davenport 
    Nickname Addaline, Adeline 
    Born 15 Jun 1862  Medora, Carr, Jackson County, Indiana, U.S.A. Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Female 
    Died 1 Oct 1928  Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, U.S.A. Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • 1928: Daughter Savilla Thomas (Mrs. Herman W. Goff, 4815 Guilford Ave, Indianapolis IN) provided the information to the pension authorities, as did the Postmaster of Indianapolis on 16 Nov 1928.
    Buried 4 Oct 1928  Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, U.S.A., (Section 57 Lot 454, marker) Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • U.S. Census Ward 2, Franklin, Johnson County, IN 1870: "Addie Devenport [sic], age 9 b. Abt. 1861 Indiana" in household of "George Burnett, age 27 b. Abt. 1843 Indiana, plasterer, wife Fannie, age 23 b. Abt. 1847 Kentucky; also in the household: Catherine D. Able, age 54 b. Abt. 1816 Kentucky [widow of Joseph S. Able, b. Abt. 1807 Kentucky, of Franklin, Johnson County, IN.]" Evidently, following the death of Margaret Davenport, the younger Davenport children were reared by their relatives, Abel family members.

      15 Jan 1908 Indiana State Digital Archives, Marion County Superior Court Records: "Addie Thomas, Defendant, Henrietta W. Norris v. George Kessler, et al, civil case."

      13 Oct 1909 Indianapolis IN Star, p. 4: "Realty Transfers. . . . Addie Thomas [sold] to Mamie K. Culmann, Lot 36, Shelby's first subdivisisn, 35 x 132 feet, vacant, east side Dye Street, north of Twenty-seventh Street. $150."

      20 Aug 1912 Indianapolis IN Star, p. 10: "Mamie K. Culmann [sold] to Thomas Etta, lot 36, Shelby's first subdivision, 35 x 132 feet, vacant, east side Dye Streeet, north of Twenty-seventh Street . . . $250.00"

      15 Aug 1912 Indianapolis IN Star, p. 7: "Arrange Benefit at Roof Garden. [photo & caption] Left to right, seated--Mrs. Addie Thomas, President, . . . Auxillary Frank S. Clark Camp, United Spanish War Veterans"

      (http://genealogytrails.com/ind/news.html

      "A history of the organization of Spanish War Veterans follows:

      In 1899 the first camp of Spanish War Veterans was organized in Indianapolis. It was named after Gen. John S. Poland, and Capt. William B. English was the first camp commander. Its membership was made up largely of members of the One Hundred and Eighth Indiana Volunteer Infantry and the officers and men of other organizations making this their home after the close of the Spanish-American war. In a short time the Frank S. Clark Camp was organized as a foreign service camp; the Burton S. Cottrell Camp, primarily as a company organization of Company H, One Hundred and Fifty-Eighth Infantry, Indiana Volunteers; the Capt. William E. English Camp of colored soldiers, made up almost entirely of the Indiana battalion of colored men which was organized in July, 1898, and the McGee-Henderson Camp, composed exclusively of the members of the Twenty-seventh Indiana Battery, known as Battery A, Indiana national guard.

      The membership of all these camps was large and great interest was shown for a year or two, but as the members were young men, very few of them married, and all hustling for a livelihood in their different vocations, the members soon began to seek other cities and state where better business opportunities were offered. Many of them having had a taste of military life, returned to the service, and in a few years the original members of these camps were scattered over the country and, in fact, all over the world. It is doubtful if there is a single company of the five regiments and two batteries that responded to the President's call from Indiana in 1898 that can muster 40 per cent of its members in this state today.")

      3 Jan 1915 Indianapolis IN Star, p. 8: ". . . Addie Thomas, Installing Conductor, Joseph R. Gordon Women's Relief Corps, No. 43 . . ."

      http://suvcw.org/WRC/index.htm

      "The National Woman's Relief Corps, Auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic, Inc., is a patriotic organization whose express purpose is to perpetuate the memory of the Grand Army of the Republic, as we are their auxiliary organized at their request on July 25 and 26, 1883 in Denver, Colorado . . ."

      (Polk Indianapolis City Directory, 1915, "Beneficial Organizations," p. 43:

      "Joseph R. Gordon Corps No. 43 Meets at 221 Maryland Avenue every Friday afternoon.")

    • Much information about Addie Davenport and Robert Thomas family appears in the application file for Robert Thomas's Civil War Pension, which Addie continued to draw after Robert's death.

      These folks did not keep written records before 1865, so the application file contains many sworn statements of relatives regarding their recollection of births, marriages, deaths, and other events.

      One of the most interesting of these statements relates to the death and burial of Sadie Wilkins ID 1462254, first wife of Robert Thomas. A relative swore that he was present when the deceased was buried--twice. He stated that grave robbers dug up her grave by mistake, and left the coffin above ground. He helped bury Sadie a second time, so he had first-hand knowledge of her death.

      Roy Richard Thomas July 2006
    Person ID I12912  Complete
    Last Modified 22 Sep 2020 

    Father Benjamin F. Davenport,   b. Abt. 1815, Chorley, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 8 Mar 1884, Frankfurt, Clinton County, Indiana, U.S.A. Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 69 years) 
    Mother Margaret Abel,   b. Abt. 1819, Kentucky, U.S.A. Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Mar 1862, Medora, Carr, Jackson County, Indiana, U.S.A. Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 43 years) 
    Married 18 May 1843  Jefferson County, Kentucky, U.S.A. Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Kentucky Marriages, 1783-1865: "Margaret Abel & Benjamin Davenport, m. 18 May 1843, Jefferson County."

    Family ID F5776  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Robert Thomas,   b. 26 Jan 1847, Perry, Marion County, Indiana, U.S.A. Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 12 Sep 1916, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 69 years) 
    Married 15 May 1879  Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Indiana Marriage Collection, 1800-1941: "Addie Davenport, age 16 b. Abt. 1863 & Albert [Robert] Thomas, m. 15 May 1879 Marion County."

      LDS FamilySearch Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992: "Robert Thomas & Adie Davenport, m. 15 May 1879 Indianapolis, Marion County."
    Children 
    +1. Madge L. Thomas,   b. 29 Apr 1880, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Abt. 1928, Prob. Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, U.S.A. Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 47 years)
     2. Child Thomas,   b. Abt. 1881, Prob. Perry, Marion, IN Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Abt. 1881, Prob. Perry, Marion, IN Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 0 years)
    +3. Savilla Thomas,   b. 2 Mar 1883, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 28 Aug 1960, Marion County General Hospital, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 77 years)
     4. Anna Louise Thomas,   b. 1 May 1885, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 6 Feb 1968, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 82 years)
    +5. Mamie Katherine Thomas,   b. 4 Feb 1887, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 15 Oct 1969, Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 82 years)
    +6. Ora Albert Thomas,   b. 30 Jan 1889, Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana, U.S.A. Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 30 Jan 1962, St.Petersburg, Florida, U.S.A. Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 73 years)
     7. Child Thomas,   b. Abt. 1891, Prob. Perry, Marion County, Indiana, U.S.A. Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Oct 1891, Prob. Perry, Marion County, Indiana, U.S.A. Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 0 years)
     8. Sanford Henry Thomas,   b. 9 Sep1893, Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 17 Mar 1966, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 72 years)
    +9. Roy Elmer Thomas,   b. 27 Sep 1898, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 4 Feb 1982, Hospice of Southern Michigan, Southfield, Oakland County, Michigan, U.S.A. Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 83 years)
     10. Robert Richard Thomas,   b. 11 Aug 1901, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, U.S.A. Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 31 Dec 1984, Ft. Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida, U.S.A. Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 83 years)
    Documents
    Robert Thomas updated his personal file for the Bureau of Pensions
    Robert Thomas updated his personal file for the Bureau of Pensions

    This update in 1915 included a list of his living children and their birthdates. The "Robert Thomas Pension Letter dated 5/8/09" was indeed signed by Robert Thomas, but the body of the letter was evidently written by his wife, Addie Davenport. Compare the script of the word "Thomas" in the "I Robert Thomas" at the beginning of the "Pension Letter" with the script of "Thomas" in the signature of Addie Thomas near the top of page two of her pension application. The body of Addie Davenport's pension application was written by a clerk, probably in her lawyer's office.
    Last Modified 16 Sep 2013 
    Family ID F5760  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 15 Jun 1862 - Medora, Carr, Jackson County, Indiana, U.S.A. Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 15 May 1879 - Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 1 Oct 1928 - Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, U.S.A. Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Photos
    Addie Davenport face
    Addie Davenport face
    Addie Davenport Thomas (1860-1928).
    Addie Davenport Thomas (1860-1928).

    This image was part of a group snapshot taken summer 1919, vicinity of Indianapolis, IN, after discharge of her sons from the U.S. Army (Robert R.) and Navy (Roy Elmer).

    Roy Richard Thomas Summer 2006
    Addie Davenport
    Addie Davenport

    Documents
    Sadie Wilkins - death information
    Sadie Wilkins - death information

    This scrap of paper was written by a person, (probably Addie Davenport for use in a Civil War pension application for her husband, Robert Thomas), who copied with difficulty information from a gravestone. However, the gravestone has the given name "Sarah E." not "Sadie."

    The writer had difficulty with syntax, capitalization, and spelling and had attended country schools in Indiana perhaps three or four years.


    This brief note was saved by Roy Elmer Thomas because he thought it was the "only knowledge he had of his father's first wife," whom he had heard called "Sadie" Wilkins.
    Robert Thomas & Addie Davenport Licensed to marry
    Robert Thomas & Addie Davenport Licensed to marry

    Indianapolis IN "News," 15 May 1878.
    1879 - Robert Thomas and Addie Davenport:
    1879 - Robert Thomas and Addie Davenport:

    Authenticated Copy of Marriage Record, license and certificate; contains no middle names or initials for the bride and groom.
    Addie Davenport (1861-1928), President, Auxilliary of Spanish-American War Veterans' group
    Addie Davenport (1861-1928), President, Auxilliary of Spanish-American War Veterans' group

    Was Addie Davenport related to a veteran of the Spanish-American War? The relationship, if any, has not been documented:

    Frank N. Davenport of New Castle, Henry County, IN [44 miles northeast of Indianapolis] was enrolled 29 Jun 1898 in Company G, 161st Indiana Inf Regt, at Indianapolis, Marion County, IN and mustered out with his unit 30 Apr 1899. The unit trained in the American south, embarked from Savannah, Georgia, and was stationed at Havana, Cuba when the American flag was hoisted above Moro Castle in the harbor of Havana.
    Addie Davenport (1861-1928), Installing Officer of Joseph R. Gordon's Woman Relief Corps No. 43, 3 Jan 1915 Indianapolis IN Star, p. 8.
    Addie Davenport (1861-1928), Installing Officer of Joseph R. Gordon's Woman Relief Corps No. 43, 3 Jan 1915 Indianapolis IN Star, p. 8.

    Indianapolis, Marion, IN Star, 3 Jan 1915, p. 8.

    Fort Larned Historical Society, Inc., guide to the collection:

    "The Woman’s Relief Corps (WRC) was founded in 1883 as an auxiliary of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR). The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization of veterans of the Union Army organized in 1866 by Benjamin Franklin Stephenson of Illinois.

    The Woman’s Relief Corps originally intended to establish closer friendships between mothers, wives, and daughters of Union soldiers and to assist veterans with the maintenance of their organization and completing community charity projects."
    16 Sep 1916 Addie Davenport Civil War widow's declaration p. 1
    16 Sep 1916 Addie Davenport Civil War widow's declaration p. 1

    Witnessed by a neighbor, Dora M. Reardon 1719 North Capital St and Dora's Irish housekeeper, Mary Moran
    16 Sep 1916 Addie Davenport Civil War widow's declaration p. 2
    16 Sep 1916 Addie Davenport Civil War widow's declaration p. 2

    Witnessed by a neighbor, Dora M. Reardon 1719 North Capital St and Dora's Irish housekeeper, Mary Moran
    28 Oct 1916 Addie Davenport: Civil War widow's pension application, p. 1
    28 Oct 1916 Addie Davenport: Civil War widow's pension application, p. 1

    Addie was unable to obtain a copy of the death certificate of Robert's first wife, Sadie Wilkins, but recalled seeing "the funeral as it passed on the street" and recently visited the tombstone in Round Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Marion, IN, in order to copy the date of death.

    The body of Addie Davenport's pension application was probably written by a clerk in her lawyer's office; she then signed the application.
    28 Oct 1916 Addie Davenport:  Civil War widow's pension application, p. 2
    28 Oct 1916 Addie Davenport: Civil War widow's pension application, p. 2
    Addie Davenport (1861-1928) Death certificate
    Addie Davenport (1861-1928) Death certificate

    The death certificate was completed by my father, Roy Elmer Thomas, then age 30, who in later years stated that he knew relatively little about his mother, Addie, and nothing about her family, including her maiden name.

    Roy Richard Thomas, 2018
    Addie Davenport (1862-1928), Death notice
    Addie Davenport (1862-1928), Death notice

    Indianapolis Star, 2 Oct 1928.

    Headstones
    Addie Davenport (1862-1928)
    Addie Davenport (1862-1928)

    The inscription on the gravestone indicates she was born in 1862, but for the Census of 1900, Addie gave her birthdate as Jun 1861.

    Census Records
    Addie Davenport (1861-1928), Sanford Henry Thomas (1903-1966), & Robert R. Thomas
    Addie Davenport (1861-1928), Sanford Henry Thomas (1903-1966), & Robert R. Thomas

    U.S. Census Indianapolis, Marion County, IN 1920:

    "Sanford Thomas, age 26 b. Abt. 1894 Indiana, chauffer--ice cream co. and Robert R. Thomas, age 18 b. Abt. 1902 Indiana, repairman-automobile," in the household of their mother, "Addie Thomas, age 59 b. Abt. 1861 Indiana, father b. England mother b. Kentucky, widow no occupation, renter." Two lodgers also in the household: "Harris Facemire, age 32 salesman-drug store & Bernard F. Walton, age 34 post office clerk." All in household could "read/write."