In 1918 Frank M. Davis's company Davis Manufacturing Co. was bought out by their biggest customer, Avery Co., for whom Davis had been making tractor engines. Within a few months, Frank M. Davis and one of his executives from Davis Mfg. Co., John T. Thompson, announced the creation of the Davis-Thompson Co. to manufacture machine tools, beginning with a milling machine specialized for production use.

At first their machines were manufactured by the Smith Engineering Works of Milwaukee, and they also rented office space from that firm. In 1920 the new Davis & Thompson factory in West Allis was complete, and the business formally incorporated as the Davis & Thompson Co. The company made production milling machines and later added production boring machines and multi-spindle lathes.

In 1947 company president William H. Weimer was killed in an automobile accident and The company survived him for at least another five years or so.

Information Sources

• 1911-12 Polk's Wisconsin State Gazetteer and Business Directory lists "Davis Manufacturing Co Frank M Davis pres. John T Thompson vice-pres, M J Church sec. automobile engines, Park cor 15th av.
• 1918-09-05 The Iron Age. "A new machine-tool industry, the Davis-Thompson Co., is being established in Milwaukee by Frank M. Davis and John T. Thompson, formerly the principal executives of the Davis Mfg. Co., Fifty-seventh Avenue and Mitchell Street, who have perfected a new type of milling machine which will be manufactured under the name of the Davis-Thompson continuous miller. Experimental work has been completed and regular production will be undertaken immediately. As soon as practicable the company will erect a plan in West Allis, on a site already acquired. For the present, however, the milling machine will be manufacture in the plant of the Smith Engineering Works, Milwaukee, under contract. The Smith works will be enlarged by the erection of a one and two-story addition, 65x100 ft., of brick and steel, to accomodate this and other work. Temporary offices have been established by the Davis-Thompson Co. at Thirty-second and Locust streets in connection with the Smith Engineering Works."
• 1920-01-22 The Iron Age, v105, p. 314. "The Davis & Thompson Co., Milwaukee, has filed articles of incorporation with an authorized capital stock of $100,000 to manufacture machine tools, machinery, etc. The organizers are Frank M. Davis, John T. Thompson and Edgar L. Wood, attorney. Messrs. Davis and Thompson have been developing a new design of continuous milling machine for the last two years and are now preparing to engage in quantity production at Milwaukee. Both formerly were officers of the Davis Mfg. Co., Milwaukee, now the motor works of Avery Co., Peoria. Ill. A site for the proposed plant has been purchased and construction work will be undertaken early in the spring. Details will be announced soon.”
• 1920-02-26 American Machinist. "Company Organization to Make Machine Tools—The Davis & Thompson Company, of Milwaukee, has been incorporated to manufacture machine tools and other metal-working machinery, principally a continuous milling machine which has been developed in the last three years by Frank M. Davis and John Thompson. Both were formerly principal officers of the Davis Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, which now is operated as the motor works of the Avery Company, Peoria, Ill. A new plant will be erected in West Allis in the spring by the new corporation, which until now has been manufacturing its tools under contract."
• March 1941 Machinery, vol. 47 p. 176.

  M. W. Rogers, formerly general factory manager of the Caterpillar Tractor Co., Peoria, Ill., was recently elected president of the Davis & Thompson Co., of Milwaukee, Wis. The latter company has been engaged for many years in the building of production machinery for the automotive and other industries. WILLIAM WEIMER, long connected with the Davis & Thompson Co., remains with the company as vice-president. Mr. Rogers has also been elected president.

• 1944-45 Machinery, vol. 51, p. 240 (the volume covers September 1944-August 1945, and I think the page in question is from December 1944).

  WILLIAM H. WEIMER has been elected president of the Davis & Thompson Co., Milwaukee, Wis. Mr. Weimer was formerly executive vice-president of the firm. His service with the company dates back to its organization in 1911, and has been continuous with the exception of a brief period during which he was associated with the Avery Tractor Co. and the Globe Union Mfg. Co. G. L. Otto, chief engineer of the company for the last twelve years, succeeds Mr. Weimer as vice-president. In this position, Mr. Otto will direct all engineering and development work.

• 1947 issue of Steel, vol. 121 p. 77.

  William H. Weimer, 55, president and general manager, Davis & Thompson Co., Milwaukee, was injured fatally in an automobile accident Aug. 16. Associated with this concern, which produces machine tools for the automotive industry, since its organization in 1928, Mr. Weimer became head of the company in 1943.

• A 1952 trademark registration, for "Roto-Matic" rendered in a script font, was granted to Davis & Thompson Co. To view the trademark document go to USPTO Trademark Portal, search for "562784", then click on "Documents" and then "Registration Certificate". That document says, "The trade-mark was first used... as follows: For drilling machines, on October 20, 1923; for milling machines, on February 25,1941; for boring machines, on September 20, 1944; for reaming machines, on October 20, 1923; for pipe-threading machines, on October 8, 1924; for tapping machines, on March 21, 1924; for combined drilling and reaming machines, on October 20, 1923; for combined drilling and tapping machines, on March 21, 1924; for multiple spindle lathes, on January 21, 1931; for combined milling and center-drilling machines, on February 25, 1941; for combined milling, drilling, and tapping machines, on January 31, 1946; for combined milling and spinning machines, on August 29, 1946; for multiple operation machines, on January 14, 1948. That such first use, as to dates prior to 1940, was by applicant's predecessor, Davis & Thompson Company, a corporation of Wisconsin." The 1952 application was filed by "Davis & Thompson Company, a corporation duly organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, located at the city of West Allis..."