Albert L. Davenport, M. D. A physician of many years’ experience in Eastern Oklahoma, Doctor Davenport is now devoting all his time and energies to the administration of the postoffice of Holdenville. He was appointed postmaster under the Wilson administration and since taking charge he has made many improvements and has gratified the patrons of the office by the splendid service rendered.

During his residence in Oklahoma Doctor Davenport has always been closely identified with public affairs, and has been a strong factor in every community where he has lived. He was born at Gadsden, Alabama, May 2, 1872, a son of Robert and Lou (Bradley) Davenport. His father was born in North Carolina in 1841 and died at the age of forty-five in 1886 at Conway, Arkansas. The mother was born near Gadsden, Alabama, in July, 1842, and died at Conway, Arkansas, November 26, also in the year 1886. They were reared and married in Alabama and in 1878 moved to Arkansas, where the father followed farming until his death. He was a Confederate soldier, and was in the army during most of the war. He participated in the decisive battle of Shiloh and at Chickamauga a piece of shell wounded him in the calf of the right leg, and when Lee surrendered his army he was at home on a furlough. He was a democrat and a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. Doctor Davenport was the second of three children, and his sisters were: Mary, of Monroe, Louisiana; and Ann, who died in 1886 at the age of twelve.

Doctor Davenport was fourteen years of age when his parents died, and he then had to start out in life for himself. His youth was one of toil and combat against adversity, and after working hard on farms during the summer he attended school only for a few months each winter. This was his regular experience until he was nineteen years of age, at which time he qualified as a teacher, and followed farming and teaching alternately until 1900. In that year he began the study of medicine in the Hospital Medical College at Louisville, Kentucky, took two courses, and in 1901 secured a license and began practice at Frances, Oklahoma. After four years there he entered the medical department of the University of Little Rock, Arkansas, and was graduated M. D., May 26, 1906. On returning to Oklahoma he located at Bilby in what is now Hughes County, and from there, on January 1, 1911, removed to Holdenville. He was called from a promising practice as a physician on March 4, 1914, to become postmaster. The Holdenville posfoffice is a second class office, and the postmaster’s salary is $2,300 a year.

Largely as a matter of recreation Doctor Davenport raises standard bred trotting horses and has ten fine animals. He has been a democrat ever since casting his first vote and prior to his appointment as postmaster held such offices as justice of the peace and member of the school board. He organized the school district at Frances, Oklahoma, under the Indian Territory laws, and was elected secretary of the school board, an office he filled until he removed from Frances. While at Bilby he was appointed justice of the peace, at the beginning of statehood, and filled that office until his removal to Holden-, ville. Doctor Davenport is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, and is affiliated with the Woodmen of the World, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Royal Neighbors.

On March 27, 1901, he married Miss Estella Salter, who was born in Arkansas, a daughter of John Salter. They have a fine family of seven children, whose names are Edna, Myrtle, Zora, John, Marie, Opal and Ruth.