Mary was the daughter of Dr. Thomas Byser Davenport (b. FEB 7,1831 d. Dec 11, 1863) and EUGENIA POLK (b.July 27 1834, d. Jan 24,1864. Both are buried in Leon county, TX.
Eugenia POLK was the daughter of Cynthia S. POLK and John POLK(b.1798). The POLK family seemed related to almost everyone who was anyone in deep east Texas politics, as well as to national figures like President James K. Polk

Mary and her sister Elizabeth Davenport(Gladney) were orphaned at an early age. By 1864 the two sisters had lost there 3 siblings and both parents.
Mary and her sister Elizabeth lived with there uncle, John Dekalb Polk, a former Captain in the civil war. They resided in Pittsburg, Camp County TX. The sisters did visit often with there aunt, Mrs. John H. Broocks(Elizabeth Jerome Polk) in San Augustine, TX and other relatives such as Judge Alfred Polk and wife Nancy Polk, also of San Augustine, TX.

Mary married Matthew Cartwright Jr.in 1876. They had the following children; Leonidas Davenport(1877-1963); Amanda H. (1879-1977); Eugenia Polk (1880-1937); Estelle(1882-1972); Jerome Broocks(1883-1976); Mary Davenport(1885-1964); John Regan(1887-1917); William Holman(1889-1980);
Matthew Jr.(1892-1962); Bourke(1894-1965). Mary father-in-law, Mathew Cartwright Sr., at the time of his death in 1870 owned a million acres of land in Texas.

Mary sister, Elizabeth Davenport Gladney is also buried near Mary's grave in the Oakland Memorial Park cemetery.

October 28, 1937
Oct 27th [Terrell] Mrs. Mary Cartwright, wife of the late Matthew Cartwright, died at Dallas Tuesday. She had lived in Texas for 60 years. Survived by her children - Matthew and Bourke and Mrs. Jerome Head, Terrell; Lon, Beaumont; Holman, Beeville; Mrs. Lane Taylor and Mrs. W. B. Lupe, San Antonio and Mrs. Clarence Pickrell, Los Angeles and one sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Gladney.