Joseph J. Davenport

Joseph Jackson Davenport (1849 – 1921) was a lawyer, realtor and Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri in 1889. He moved to Kansas City from his native Saint Louis in about 1873, joining "the pork-packing business with J. E. McKenzie," and after his term as mayor entering real estate. Following his term a new city charter was implemented and terms were extended to two years.

Joseph J. Davenport
27th Mayor of Kansas City
In office
1889 - 1890
Preceded byHenry C. Kumpf
Succeeded by Benjamin Holmes
Personal details
Born1849 (1849)
St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Died1921(1921-00-00) (aged 71–72)
Political party Republican

Davenport had a legendary encounter with Kansas City Star publisher William Rockhill Nelson in which Davenport was alleged to have gone to the publisher's office (with or without a gun according to various tellings) to settle a squabble "man to man." Managing Editor T.W. Johnston, City Editor Ralph Stout, Editorial Writer William Allen White and a telegrapher named Phillips came to Nelson's aid, threw Davenport down a flight of stairs with Davenport saying "Drop the cuspidor, Ralph Stout! Put that spittoon down!" Nelson was reported to have said. "The Star never loses!"[1]

Davenport was born in St. Louis, Missouri and moved to Kansas City around 1873, where he engaged "the pork-packing business with J. E. McKenzie."[2]

References
  1. Tom's Town: Kansas City and the Pendergast Legend By William M. Reddig - ISBN 0-8262-0498-8 - pp42 and 43 (available on print.google.com)
  2. Local History – Kansas City Public Library Archived 2007-10-10 at the Wayback Machine
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