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Local politics, the county, and the world, as viewed by Tammy Maygra Tammy’s views are her own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Bill Eagle, his pastor, Tammy’s neighbors, Brady Preheim, Wayne Mayo, Brian Stout, Former President Trump, Henry Heimuller, Joe Biden, Tim Walz, Jerry Falwell Jr., Mike Johnson, J.D. Vance, Ted Cruz, Kamala Harris, Joe Biden’s dogs, or Claudia Eagle’s Cats. This Tammy’s Take (with the exception of this disclaimer) is not paid for or written by, or even reviewed by anyone but Tammy and she refuses to be bullied by anyone. See Bill’s Standard Disclaimer
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Homer Davenport, Silverton Oregon’s famous son.
Homer Davenport Editorial cartoons actually tilted the balance of the 1904 presidential election in favor of Theodore Roosevelt. How did a country boy from a small Oregon town of Silverton end up rubbing shoulders with America’s political elite at the dawn of the 20th century? He was born a few miles outside of Silverton in the Waldo Hills, where he was born in 1867. His mother, Florinda Davenport, was an avid reader of Harper’s Weekly and an admirer of the world-famous political cartoonist Thomas Nast, known for his Civil War illustrations and noted as the “Father of the American Cartoon. She wasn’t sure her son could reach the same heights of Nast, but she hoped. His mother cultivated his imagination and stimulated him to draw every day. Tragically, she succumbed to tuberculosis when Davenport was only three years old. On her deathbed she asked her husband to fulfill her dream for their son, and Timothy did. Homer drew on everything he could, including drawings of Arabian horses which he hoped to have one someday and travel the world. In his early 20s, without any formal art training, Davenport got a job in California as a caricature artist, working at several newspapers, eventually landing at William Randolph Hearst’s paper San Francisco Examiner. That is where he got his big break. Hearst being a powerful businessman with political desires himself. He acknowledged Davenport’s exceptional talent, and in 1895 moved him to his New York paper, New York Evening Journal, as a presidential campaign was gearing up between William McKinley and William Jennings Bryan. Some of Davenport’s most noteworthy works were fashioned during the McKinley vs. Bryan campaign, where Davenport zeroed in on McKinley’s campaign manager and head of the Republican National Committee, Marcus Alonzo Hanna. Homer would illustrate [Hanna] as this kind of obese guy with a checkered suit, every single check in the suit was a dollar mark. So he got the name Dollar Mark Hanna. Hanna was one of many satirized by Davenport, who became both feared and admired by both sides of the political aisle. He quickly made a name for himself as a masterful observer of people. His acute wit could cut to the core of any hypocrisy or injustice with a single image. Theodore Roosevelt would ultimately find himself in the sights of Davenport’s pen, when he was illustrated in the White House State Dining Room surrounded by a barbaric display of the numerous trophy animal heads he had hunted and killed. But the tide turned when Davenport ended up working for a rival newspaper of Hearst’s that supported Roosevelt. The two eventually met and became good friends, both relating to each other’s love of the outdoors and the rugged country life of the American West. When Roosevelt ran for reelection in 1904, facing a hard campaign ahead, Davenport created a realistic illustration of Uncle Sam placing his hand on Roosevelt’s shoulder, with a caption that read, “He’s good enough for me.” The image was a huge hit and went viral in the day throughout the country. After Roosevelt won the tough election with Davenport’s help, he asked him what he could do for him. His wish to import purebred Arabian horses to America and begin a breeding line. At the time, the world’s militaries were still cavalry based, and Arabian horses were considered prized military assets, making them very difficult to get from overseas. Roosevelt loved the idea, and straightaway had a letter drawn up by his Secretary of State introducing Davenport to the leaders of the Ottoman Empire. Davenport set out on his mission to find seven Arabian horses. He returned from the Middle East with not just seven, but 27 Arabian horses. Davenport’s boyhood dream was achieved and he produced the highly regarded line called the Davenport Arabians that survives to this day. He traveled the world speaking to people about his adventures, he wrote books and remained famous until his death. Death May 2, 1912 at the age of 45 You can see a growing collection of original Homer Davenport artworks at the Silverton Country Historical Society, where they have a room devoted to Davenport’s legacy.
Tammy
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