Frank M. Davis was assistant superintendent of the E. P. Allis Co.; after nine years in that role he left to form Frank M. Davis & Co. of Milwaukee, makers of micrometers and other tools. In about 1910 it seems that the business became Davis Manufacturing Co., which made internal combustion engines, a cyclecar, and machine tools. They manufactured the gas engines for Avery tractors and in 1918, the Avery Co. bought him out. Davis and his vice-president, John T. Thompson, went on to establish machine tool maker Davis & Thompson Co.

Information Sources

• August 1904 Machinery has an article written by Frank M. Davis that includes a biography of the author in a footnote. "Frank M. Davis was born in Goshen, Mass., 1865. He learned the patternmaking trade, and then took up machine and foundry work. He showed executive ability at an early age, having been foreman and superintendent of shops since he was twenty-one. Mr. Davis was assistant superintendent of the E. P. Allis Co. for nine years, and it was while of the heavy engine work in these shops that he became in pressed with the need for large micrometer calipers of light construction for making accurate measurements. He is now in business for himself as one of the partners of Frank M. Davis & Co., making the Davis tubular frame micrometers and other specialties.
• Article in 1905-09-28 The Iron Age on Frank M. Davis & Co.'s tubular micrometer calipers.
• January 1910 The Canis Co-operative Catalog and Index of the Automobile lists "Davis Mfg. Co., Milwaukee, Wis. (motors, gasoline automobile) (motors, gasoline marine)."
• 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.
• 1912-06-03 Industrial World lists exhibitors at a Milwaukee gas-engine trade show, including Davis Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee.
• 1913-08-21 The Automobile. "Davis Erects $150,000 Plant—The Davis Manufacturing Co., Milwaukee, Wis., builder of motors, has purchased a site of 7 acres at West Allis, the manufacturing suburb of Milwaukee, upon which it will immediately begin the erection of a $150,000 motor plant. This will be the third plant erected by the Davis company in 10 years. The new plant will employ 1,600 men, as compared with 650 at present. The main shop will be 250 by 290 feet in size, and the administration building 40 by 100 feet. Frank M. Davis is president; John J. Thompson, vice-president; J. B. Whitnall, treasurer, and George W. Kliegel, secretary."
• 1915-01-02 The Improvement Bulletin. "Wis., Milwaukee—The Davis Manufacturing Co., gasoline engines, tractors, etc., has directed its architects to proceed with the plans and award contracts for its new plant at 50th av. and Burnham st., West Allis, Milwaukee county; main building, 250x290, 1-story, sawtooth roof."
• October 1916 Condensed Catalogues of Mechanical Equipment lists Davis Mfg. Co., 57th Ave. & Mitchell St., Milwaukee, Wis., as makers of gas engines and micrometers.
• 1917 US Government report, Revenue to Defray War Expenses: Hearings and Briefs Before the Committee on Finance lists motor vehicle manufacturers and has appended a list of "companies failed or went out of business", including "Davis Manufacturing Co., February 17, 1916, West Allis, Wis." It is difficult to reconcile this listing with subsequent items; perhaps this mention is related to a vehicle-manufacturing subsidiary.
• 1917-10-31 Farm Implements. "The Davis Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis., have let the contract for a new foundry 92x100 feet. The company make gasoline engines."
• 1917-12-31 Farm Implements.

  Avery Company to Acquire Interest in Davis Manufacturing Company

  The Avery Company. Peoria. Ill., announce the purchase of 96 per cent of the capital stock of the Davis Manufacturing Company of Milwaukee, Wis.. from whom the Avery Company have been purchasing their tractor motors. This gives the Avery Company control over the source of its motor supplies and will add materially to the company's facilities.

  The plant of the Davis Manufacturing Company has all been built within the past two and one-half years, and at present time a large addition is in course of construction. The announcement was made at a conference of branch house managers and heads of departments of the Avery Company, held at the factory during the week of Dec. 17. Later in the week the officers of the Avery Company took their managers, jobbers and others in attendance at the convention to Milwaukee to make a personal inspection of the motor factory.

• 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."
• 1918-10-03 The Iron Age, in a listing of Milwaukee metalworking industries, includes "Davis Mfg. Co., Fifty-seventh and Mitchell sts., duplex milling machines, portable gas engines, etc., West Allis 410".
• 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."
• American Gasoline Engines Since 1872 by C. H. Wendel, Volume #1, 1983 page 120
• The Complete Guide to Stationary Gas Engines by Mark Meincke, 1996 page 108
• The 2000 book, Automobile Manufacturers Worldwide Registry lists the "Vixen" tandem cyclecar, manufactured by Davis Mfg. Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin between 1914 and '16.