[1] Davenport was born Harriett Goodmanson in Victoria, British Columbia, was brought to the United States when she was less than a year old and became a U.S. citizen through the citizenship of her father.

[4] Harriett Davenport "took some part" in the Small Property Owners' League, in Pro America and in groups of the Chamber of Commerce.

[2] In a unanimous vote by the City Council, Harriett Davenport was appointed to the 12th District seat on September 1, 1953, two months after her husband's death, the term to last until June 30, 1955.

There were two other leading contenders for the council vacancy, Ransom M. Callicott, restaurant executive, and Geraldine Hadsell, minute clerk for the State Assembly, but Mrs. Davenport gained a majority of City Council votes in a closed caucus, and the vote was made unanimous later the same day.

She urged passage of a charter amendment raising council pay, stating that the then-current salary of $600 a month was "nowhere near adequate, equitable or reasonable" and that "The pressure on the councilman never ends.