 In 1884, Davenport was elected Register of Wills of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, being the only Democrat on the ticket who was not defeated.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.