 In 1893, he was appointed a Director of the Poor for the central district of Luzerne County, serving for twenty-eight years as secretary and treasurer of the Central Poor Board.He served as the Register of Wills of Luzerne County again from 1894 to 1897.In 1898, Davenport was nominated by the Democratic party for Congress and was elected to the 56th United States Congress, serving from March 4, 1899 to March 3, 1901, but was an unsuccessful candidate for re-nomination in 1900.