John Davenport (clergyman)
Encyclopedia
John Davenport was an English puritan
clergyman and co-founder of the American colony of New Haven
.
, Warwickshire, England to a wealthy family, Davenport was educated at Oxford University. He matriculated at Merton College
in 1613 but migrated to Magdalen College
two years later, eventually leaving Oxford before completing his degree.
His father was Henry Davenport (d. May 29, 1627), draper, alderman, and Mayor of Coventry
, son of Edward Davenport, Mayor of Coventry, and was born of numerous royal families. His mother, Winifred Barnaby (1569 - April 12, 1597), is a descendant of English and French Royalty. A direct descendant of King Edward the III
of Hilton Castle he became curate
of St Lawrence Jewry
in London
. In 1624 he was chosen vicar
of St. Stephen’s Church, in Coleman Street, London. In 1625 he returned to Oxford for further studies, receiving an MA and BD. He became an associate of John Preston
, a leading Puritan teacher and scholar, and edited his works for posthumous publication. His efforts to organize the re-purchase of "lay-impropriations" for the support of rural clergy were frustrated by Bishop William Laud
and condemned by the Court of Exchequer
, as were also his efforts for the relief of Reformed clergy displaced by war in the Palatinate. In 1633 he resigned from the established church and moved to Holland.
While in Holland, it is believed that he was the model for several portraits by Rembrandt, which are now thought to be self portraits of Rembrandt.
In 1637 he acquired the patent for a colony in Massachusetts
and sailed with much of his congregation for Boston
. In March of 1638 he co-founded the Colony of New Haven
along with his classmate, Theophilus Eaton
, a wealthy merchant from London who became the colony's first governor. He was a large proponent of education in his colony and is often credited with the co-founding of Hopkins School
. As a burgess, he was an important figure in the colony up until his departure to Boston in 1668. He unsuccessfully opposed the incorporation of the New Haven colony into the reorganized colony of Connecticut under a royal charter in 1667.
Davenport was a life-long advocate of the rigorous Puritan standards for church membership and for the strict qualifications for infant baptism
, which he believed should be administered only to the children of full church members. His time in Holland had been disrupted by a controversy with his supervising pastor John Paget over this issue, and it led to his withdrawal from the Puritan church in Amsterdam. In New England, he was a staunch opponent of the recommendations made by the Synod of 1662, known as the Half-Way Covenant
, which proposed that the children of "half-way" members (those who had been baptized as infants but who had not given evidence of a "conversion" and been admitted to full membership) be allowed to receive baptism.
In September 1667, after the death of their pastor, John Wilson, the First Church in Boston
invited Davenport to be their new pastor. A minority in that church opposed the invitation, objecting to his rejection of the compromise on infant baptism. Convention required that Davenport secure a release from his former congregation before accepting a new post, and the church in New Haven was reluctant to let him go. Still, he moved to Boston in the spring of 1668, and eventually produced excerpts of a letter from the New Haven church that appeared to grant his release. He was installed as pastor of the First Church in December 1668, but a faction opposed to his appointment sought to withdraw from the church to form a new congregation. A council of clergy from local churches endorsed their request, and they formed the Third (or Old South) Church in May 1669. On May 19, 1669, Davenport preached the Election Sermon before the General Court
in Boston, using the occasion to condemn the actions of "Councils" that interfered with the liberty and administration of individual congregations. Perhaps instigated by this sermon, the Deputies (the lower house of the General Court) named a commission to investigate the actions of the founders of the Third Church and the ministers who had endorsed the separation. However, the Assistants (the upper house) blocked any action, including the publication of Davenport's sermon at public expense. Later that summer, it was discovered that the release letter from New Haven had been severely redacted to give an impression that was not perhaps warranted, though Davenport's First Church rejected charges that they had been misrepresented.
Davenport's appointment to the leading church in New England and his inflammatory election sermon brought to a head the simmering disagreements over the compromise settlement of the Half-way Synod. But Davenport died the following year; Increase Mather
, the other leading Anti-Synodist, experienced a change of heart; and Synodist deputies swept the election of 1671, ending the temporary crisis.
Davenport died in Boston of apoplexy
March 15, 1670, and was buried in the same tomb as John Cotton in King's Chapel Burying Ground
.
's Davenport College
is named in his honor. Even while the Yale University itself was formed by the Rev. John Davenport. Both President George H. W.
and George W.
Bush attended Davenport College and were proved by DNA evidence to be related to John Davenport as well as descended from Thomas Davenport
.
Recently, DNA evidence has proven that his grandfather, Edward Davenport of Coventry, was descended from the Davenports of Henbury. In addition, the DNA evidence has established his descent from Ormus de Davenport, of Cheshire, and also his relationship to the present day Lord Bromley Davenport.
Notable descendants include brothers John and James Davenport, who were Congressmen, Abraham Davenport, the "Dark Day" poem, Archibald Cox, the Watergate Special Prosecutor, and Maxwell Perkins, the editor.
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
clergyman and co-founder of the American colony of New Haven
New Haven Colony
The New Haven Colony was an English colonial venture in present-day Connecticut in North America from 1637 to 1662.- Quinnipiac Colony :A Puritan minister named John Davenport led his flock from exile in the Netherlands back to England and finally to America in the spring of 1637...
.
Early life
Born in ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, Warwickshire, England to a wealthy family, Davenport was educated at Oxford University. He matriculated at Merton College
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
in 1613 but migrated to Magdalen College
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
two years later, eventually leaving Oxford before completing his degree.
His father was Henry Davenport (d. May 29, 1627), draper, alderman, and Mayor of Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, son of Edward Davenport, Mayor of Coventry, and was born of numerous royal families. His mother, Winifred Barnaby (1569 - April 12, 1597), is a descendant of English and French Royalty. A direct descendant of King Edward the III
Career
After serving as the chaplainChaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
of Hilton Castle he became curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
of St Lawrence Jewry
St Lawrence Jewry
St Lawrence Jewry is a Church of England guild church in the City of London on Gresham Street, next to the Guildhall.-History:The church was originally built in the twelfth century and dedicated to St Lawrence The church is near the former medieval Jewish ghetto, which was centred...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In 1624 he was chosen vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of St. Stephen’s Church, in Coleman Street, London. In 1625 he returned to Oxford for further studies, receiving an MA and BD. He became an associate of John Preston
John Preston (clergyman)
John Preston D.D. was an English puritan minister of the church, and master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge.-Upbringing:John Preston was the son of Thomas Preston, a farmer, was born at Upper Heyford in the parish of Bugbrook, Northamptonshire, and was baptised at Bugbrook church on 27 October...
, a leading Puritan teacher and scholar, and edited his works for posthumous publication. His efforts to organize the re-purchase of "lay-impropriations" for the support of rural clergy were frustrated by Bishop William Laud
William Laud
William Laud was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633 to 1645. One of the High Church Caroline divines, he opposed radical forms of Puritanism...
and condemned by the Court of Exchequer
Exchequer
The Exchequer is a government department of the United Kingdom responsible for the management and collection of taxation and other government revenues. The historical Exchequer developed judicial roles...
, as were also his efforts for the relief of Reformed clergy displaced by war in the Palatinate. In 1633 he resigned from the established church and moved to Holland.
While in Holland, it is believed that he was the model for several portraits by Rembrandt, which are now thought to be self portraits of Rembrandt.
In 1637 he acquired the patent for a colony in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and sailed with much of his congregation for Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. In March of 1638 he co-founded the Colony of New Haven
New Haven Colony
The New Haven Colony was an English colonial venture in present-day Connecticut in North America from 1637 to 1662.- Quinnipiac Colony :A Puritan minister named John Davenport led his flock from exile in the Netherlands back to England and finally to America in the spring of 1637...
along with his classmate, Theophilus Eaton
Theophilus Eaton
Theophilus Eaton was a merchant, farmer, and Puritan colonial leader who was the co-founder and first governor of New Haven Colony, Connecticut.-Early life and first marriage:...
, a wealthy merchant from London who became the colony's first governor. He was a large proponent of education in his colony and is often credited with the co-founding of Hopkins School
Hopkins School
The Hopkins School is a private, college-preparatory, coeducational day school, located in New Haven, Connecticut....
. As a burgess, he was an important figure in the colony up until his departure to Boston in 1668. He unsuccessfully opposed the incorporation of the New Haven colony into the reorganized colony of Connecticut under a royal charter in 1667.
Davenport was a life-long advocate of the rigorous Puritan standards for church membership and for the strict qualifications for infant baptism
Infant baptism
Infant baptism is the practice of baptising infants or young children. In theological discussions, the practice is sometimes referred to as paedobaptism or pedobaptism from the Greek pais meaning "child." The practice is sometimes contrasted with what is called "believer's baptism", or...
, which he believed should be administered only to the children of full church members. His time in Holland had been disrupted by a controversy with his supervising pastor John Paget over this issue, and it led to his withdrawal from the Puritan church in Amsterdam. In New England, he was a staunch opponent of the recommendations made by the Synod of 1662, known as the Half-Way Covenant
Half-Way Covenant
The Half-Way Covenant was a form of partial church membership created by New England in 1662. It was promoted in particular by the Reverend Solomon Stoddard, who felt that the people of the English colonies were drifting away from their original religious purpose...
, which proposed that the children of "half-way" members (those who had been baptized as infants but who had not given evidence of a "conversion" and been admitted to full membership) be allowed to receive baptism.
In September 1667, after the death of their pastor, John Wilson, the First Church in Boston
First Church in Boston
First Church in Boston is a Unitarian Universalist Church founded in 1630 by John Winthrop's original Puritan settlement in Boston, Massachusetts. The current building is on 66 Marlborough Street in Boston.-History:...
invited Davenport to be their new pastor. A minority in that church opposed the invitation, objecting to his rejection of the compromise on infant baptism. Convention required that Davenport secure a release from his former congregation before accepting a new post, and the church in New Haven was reluctant to let him go. Still, he moved to Boston in the spring of 1668, and eventually produced excerpts of a letter from the New Haven church that appeared to grant his release. He was installed as pastor of the First Church in December 1668, but a faction opposed to his appointment sought to withdraw from the church to form a new congregation. A council of clergy from local churches endorsed their request, and they formed the Third (or Old South) Church in May 1669. On May 19, 1669, Davenport preached the Election Sermon before the General Court
Massachusetts General Court
The Massachusetts General Court is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the Colonial Era, when this body also sat in judgment of judicial appeals cases...
in Boston, using the occasion to condemn the actions of "Councils" that interfered with the liberty and administration of individual congregations. Perhaps instigated by this sermon, the Deputies (the lower house of the General Court) named a commission to investigate the actions of the founders of the Third Church and the ministers who had endorsed the separation. However, the Assistants (the upper house) blocked any action, including the publication of Davenport's sermon at public expense. Later that summer, it was discovered that the release letter from New Haven had been severely redacted to give an impression that was not perhaps warranted, though Davenport's First Church rejected charges that they had been misrepresented.
Davenport's appointment to the leading church in New England and his inflammatory election sermon brought to a head the simmering disagreements over the compromise settlement of the Half-way Synod. But Davenport died the following year; Increase Mather
Increase Mather
Increase Mather was a major figure in the early history of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and Province of Massachusetts Bay . He was a Puritan minister who was involved with the government of the colony, the administration of Harvard College, and most notoriously, the Salem witch trials...
, the other leading Anti-Synodist, experienced a change of heart; and Synodist deputies swept the election of 1671, ending the temporary crisis.
Davenport died in Boston of apoplexy
Apoplexy
Apoplexy is a medical term, which can be used to describe 'bleeding' in a stroke . Without further specification, it is rather outdated in use. Today it is used only for specific conditions, such as pituitary apoplexy and ovarian apoplexy. In common speech, it is used non-medically to mean a state...
March 15, 1670, and was buried in the same tomb as John Cotton in King's Chapel Burying Ground
King's Chapel Burying Ground
King's Chapel Burying Ground is a historic cemetery at King's Chapel on Tremont Street in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest cemetery in the city and is a site on the Freedom Trail....
.
Legacy
Yale UniversityYale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
's Davenport College
Davenport College
Davenport College is one of the twelve residential colleges of Yale University. Its buildings were completed in 1933 mainly in the Georgian style but with a gothic façade. The college was named for John Davenport, who founded Yale's home city of New Haven, Connecticut...
is named in his honor. Even while the Yale University itself was formed by the Rev. John Davenport. Both President George H. W.
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
and George W.
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
Bush attended Davenport College and were proved by DNA evidence to be related to John Davenport as well as descended from Thomas Davenport
Thomas Davenport
Thomas Davenport was a Vermont blacksmith who invented the first American DC electrical motor in 1834.He lived in Forest Dale, a village near the town of Brandon....
.
Recently, DNA evidence has proven that his grandfather, Edward Davenport of Coventry, was descended from the Davenports of Henbury. In addition, the DNA evidence has established his descent from Ormus de Davenport, of Cheshire, and also his relationship to the present day Lord Bromley Davenport.
Notable descendants include brothers John and James Davenport, who were Congressmen, Abraham Davenport, the "Dark Day" poem, Archibald Cox, the Watergate Special Prosecutor, and Maxwell Perkins, the editor.
External links
- A SERMON Preach’d at The Election of the Governour, AT BOSTON IN New-England May 19th 1669. Online edition
- Genepool: Saint Stephen's page
- M'Clure, Alexander Wilson, The lives of John Wilson, John Norton, and John Davenport (1846)
- "Sketch of the Life and Writings of John Davenport," by Franklin B. Dexter, Papers of the New Haven Historical Society, v. II (1877), 205–238.
- Hilton Castle, Durham An actual engraved image of Durham Castle can be found here, with links back to the London Genealogy page.
- Ancestry.com gives several references as to the death date of Davenport.
- Davenport DNA study