His father, had become an agent of the South Australia Company in England and together with partners Frederick Luck (quarter share) and Roger Cunliffe (one-eighth share) paid £4416 for a special survey of 4,416 acres (17.87 km2) in South Australia, and sent his eldest son (George) Francis Davenport to select the land.

Francis and his second wife Sarah Davenport (née Fincher) arrived in Adelaide in February 1840 aboard Rajasthan.

She would become known for her charitable work, closely associated with Emily Clark, Lady Colton and Catherine Helen Spence.

Davenport's first ventures in Australia were in mixed farming, almonds and vines, which had sparked his interest when he was in the south of France as a youth.

Between 5 May 1846 and 1 July 1848, Davenport was a non-official nominated member of the South Australian Legislative Council.

He was eventually elected to the first Legislative Council under responsible government in 1857 and administered the oath of allegiance to the councillors on 22 April 1857.

[6] After his death in 1906, obituarists praised his 'honourable record both in public and private life'[7] and both Houses of Parliament were adjourned for his funeral.