• Born: 5 Mar 1765, Plymouth MA
• Died: 10 Jul 1829, Plymouth MA

  General notes:

Silversmith

  Events in his life were:

• Apprenticed in Apr 1779-1785 to George Tyler in Boston MA ¹ at No. 15 Cornhill.
  Mr. Tyler did not require his apprentices to work at night -- a custom prevalent at the time -- so Davis spent his leisure hours in "improvement of his mind." He contributed poetry, etc. to the Columbian Centinel. While learning the silversmith trade, he also learned how to play the German flute from Mr. Vent (silversmith John Frederick Vent), a journeyman in the shop. He was particularly interested in engraving and described himself as being second to none before he was of age- excepting [Joseph] Callender , [Joseph] Loring , and [Paul] Revere in this specialized art.

• He worked in 1785-1810 as a silversmith and jeweler in Plymouth MA ³

• Example: Ladle, in 1800-1810, in Private Collection. L: 14"

• Partnership: Robert Johnson Brown, in 1809-1816, in Boston MA. As DAVIS & BROWN. ⁸

• Example: Countermarked coin, circa 1810, in Private Collection. Stamped on a 1802 cent piece by Theophilus Bradbury (twice), DAVIS & BROWN, and John MacFarlane.

• Example: Billhead for DAVIS & BROWN, in 1814, in Historic New England.

• Flynt & Fales. Though he continued on as a partner in DAVIS & BROWN, he retired from active business c 1810 because of a delicate state of health. He became well-known as an historian and scholar and was made a member of Massachusetts Historical Society, Jan. 30, 1812. In 1817, Harvard University conferred upon him the honorary degree of Master of Arts. ³

• Partnership: Edward Watson, in 1815, in Boston MA. As DAVIS & WATSON.

• Partnership: Robert Johnson Brown, in 1816-1825, in Boston MA. As DAVIS, BROWN & Co. ⁸

• Partnership: Edward Watson and Bartlett Marshall Bramhall, in 1822-1828, in Boston MA. As DAVIS, WATSON & Co.

• Advertised: Columbian Centinel, on 17 Sep 1825.

• Advertised: Boston Directory, in 1822, in Boston MA.