James Davenport

James Davenport was part of the 11th Company of Ten led by John S. Higbee. He worked as a blacksmith and stayed with others to help operate the Platte River ferry and continued on to Salt Lake Valley with the oncoming companies.

Shortly after arriving in the Valley, he returned to Winter Quarters to collect his family. They crossed the plains together in either 1851 or 1852. They are listed in the 1850 Iowa census, and James is listed in the 1852 Bishop's Report. Further research is needed to narrow the year of this second trip to the Valley and to identify the name of the company they traveled with.