Samuel Davis

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

  General notes:

Silversmith

  Events in his life were:

• Apprenticed from Apr 1779 to 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 from 1785 to 1810 as a silversmith and jeweler in Plymouth MA ³

• Ladle, 1800-1810
  Private Collection
  l: 14"

• He was a partner from 1809 to 1816 with Robert Johnson Brown in Boston MA as DAVIS & BROWN. ⁸

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

• 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

• He was a partner in 1815 with Edward Watson in Boston MA as DAVIS & WATSON.

• He was a partner from 1816 to 1825 with Robert Johnson Brown in Boston MA as DAVIS, BROWN & Co. ⁸

• He was a partner from 1822 to 1828 with Edward Watson and Bartlett Marshall Bramhall in Boston MA as DAVIS, WATSON & Co.

• Advertised in the Columbian Centinel, 17 Sep 1825,