Thomas Davenport

Thomas Davenport is the lyricist of “Come, All Ye Sons of God” (#322), which was included in the 1985 Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He was born on March 1, 1815, in Brampton, Derby, England. He was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 21, 1847. He was set apart as a traveling elder and through his efforts several branches of the Church were formed in the area. He helped bring 50 people into the Church. He and his family (wife Sarah and four children) traveled to Utah via ship that arrived in New Orleans on December 26, 1849. They continued on up the Mississippi River and arrived in St. Louis, Missouri on January 11, 1850. In June 1852, his family traveled to the Salt Lake Valley, arriving on October 8, 1852. He took his family to Parowan and started a pottery trade. His pieces came to be known as Davenportware. He also farmed.[1] Another son was born to them, but he died from the flu.

Davenport died on January 22, 1888, in Parowan, Utah.