My Family Tree

DNA matches the line of John Davenport b.1767 in Bedford Co, VA (family of Glover and Ann Davenport). I suspect now the father of the 4 brothers was either John himself or John's brother, Joseph, and neither was the biological son of Glover. Mother of John and his brother might have been a daughter of Glover because adoptions at that time generally did not involve name changes
http://quickening.zapto.org/gramps/kdd/s/l/4brothers.html

Possible match for the 4 brothers in 1810 Census fragment from Grainger Co, TN:
http://books.google.com/books?id=-xEUAAAAYAAJ&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=Devenport
Joseph Devenport 0 1 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 1
==> he was 45+ years of age! Could still be a Joseph, father of the 4 brothers. Perhaps mother Elisabeth 45+ too. Daughter age 10-16. No other 1810 Census has a Davenport hh with sons matching ages of the 4 bothers.
Here are some clues:
1) Joseph Davenport son of Glover was said in the Pamunkey Chronicles to have gone to TN.
2) Grainger is en route from Franklin Co, VA to Jackson Co, TN
3) A pair of "William Thomas's" are also listed in 1810 Grainger, like they are in 1812 Jackson Co, TN. Neighbors are Huddleston's too like in Jackson Co.
4) The son's ages match the 4 brothers!
Also available here on page 20: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/106173?availability=Family%20History%20Library

Earliest known record of our Davenport line is the "1813 Tax List" of Jackson Co, TN, which lists a Joseph Davenport next door to Adam Teel and William Thomas. The tax collectors all turned in their lists on 15 August 1812. This proves the Davenport brothers were in Jackson Co, TN almost a year before the first recorded land record by Henry Davenport on 13 July 1813.

http://search.ancestry.com/Browse/view.aspx?dbid=2883&iid=33119_290485-00406&pid=217013
Some perspective on how strange the years 1811-1813 were: http://oliverdreams.tripod.com/RevRichardJohnson.html

from Jeff Davenport of Gainesboro, TN:
"Now there is a old story about the Davenports that my grandfather used to tell. The Davenports came here ( in this region) there were 4 brothers that came in on wagons 2 if not 3 of the brothers stay here and the other one went back to Texas or possible 1 went to Texas and 1 to Ark. and the other 2 stayed here."

Some family lore claimed there was another son named John Davenport too. Elizabeth could be Joseph Devenport's mother or the "four brothers" grandmother, or an unwed daughter of Glover Davenport...

Some coincidences suggest they may be James River Davenports:
1) our "Adeline Ledbetter Davenport" -> marriage of Daniel Davenport and Elizabeth Ledbetter before 1787 in Prince George County, VA ( now ruled out by Y-DNA evidence)
2) Elisha Davenport of Patrick Co, VA - http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/davenport/2008-09/1220816083
3) Joseph Davenport and Judith Richardson married in Petersburg, VA. Richardsons were neighbors and intermarried with Davenports in Jackson County.

Alternate parents of the 4 brothers? have never found their children:
Virginia Marriages, 1740-1850 ("Bristol Parish" register of Rev John Cameron)
Groom Name: JOSEPH DAVENPORT
Bride Name: JUDITH RICHARDSON
Marriage Date: 24 Dec 1787
County: Petersburg
State: Virginia
[probably the family of Joseph Davenport, writing master at William & Mary College, Petersburg, VA]

Grandson of Charles Davenport, son of Joseph, applied in 1901 to the commision of 5 nations for recognition as 1/8 Choctaw Indian. He claimed Charles was 1/2 Choctaw and had moved to Green Co, MS by 1840 (formerly the Choctaw Nation). Application was denied. This suggests Charles had a different mother than Joseph, Henry, and James.