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William Hastings Davenport was a rather prolific entrepenuer. Throughout his life he founded several firearms companies including The Davenport Arms Company or Providence R.I. - mid 1870's, Bay State Arms Company of Uxbridge Mass in 1883 and W.H. Davenport Fire Arms Company of Norwich Conn in 1890. Five years after his death in 1904 the company was purchased from his widow by the Hopkins & Allen Arms Company of Norwich Conn.
Davenport guns have his patented key take-down on the right side of the frame. Patent dates found on the frame are December 15, 1891, August 11,1896 August 14,1900 and May 27,1902. The Davenport doubles were not especially high quality, yet were reasonalby well built, for the market which they were intended. Occassionally guns of this type are found with trade names other than Davenport, thus indicating that they were sold under trade brand names.
There is an interesting picture accompanying this information of a hammer shotgun with the hammers fixed directly behind each chamber instead of being attached on the sides of the frame. The frame looks similar to a boxlock and has a "horseshoe" shaped round wire main spring with each end contacting the hammers. There is no half-cock or safety provision. There is also no documentation that H & A made any of these shotguns after they took over.
All information from Side by Sides of the World by Charles E. Carder
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