Thaddeus Davids

Thaddeus Davids (Nov. 16, 1810, Bedford, New York - July 22, 1894, New Rochelle, New York) was a 19th-century New York businessman who, in partnership with his brothers, built one of the largest ink companies in the world at the time.

The Davids family moved to New York City when Thaddeus was thirteen years old. There he entered the employ of an ink manufacturer who, when he died, left the company to Thaddeus, however, because he was still a minor, the business had to be listed in his father’s name, William Davids. During this early period he failed to receive payment for a government contract and gave up the business, going to sea for a short time. Upon returning, he entered the business again and prospered with his manufacture of quality ink. An 1829/30 New York Directory listing still had William Davids, Chemist, in the listing. Thaddeus would have become of legal age in 1831.

Davids’ introduction of steel pen ink in 1827 was his best product at the time and was guaranteed to write black and be of "record" quality. By 1833, Davids was making ink similar to English inks, which he called "chemical writing fluid", and added indigo for more color. Davids continued with more innovative and improved inks in the following years, and his inks became as good as, or better than, any on the market. In 1856, an experiment by a well known chemist listed his as the least fading ink on the market when compared with such names as "Maynard & Noyes", "Harrison’s Columbian" and "Blackwood’s". This was an important factor for businesses and government. These results were copied and used on bottle labels and trade cards handed out by the company at the 1876 Centennial in Philadelphia.

By the late 1830s, Davids was prosperous enough that he wanted to buy a country place in New Rochelle, New York, a short distance from New York City. Leaving the business in the hands of his partner, he took some time negotiating for the New Rochelle property. When he returned to the city, he found out his partner had somehow managed to sell the business and ruin him. Instead of being wealthy, Davids was $700 in debt, but with hard work, he entered the business again for himself at 112 John Street in 1840. Davids intended to move the company to New Rochelle in 1854 however the old mill being renovated for the ink factory burned. This mill had been used for making sealing wax and wafers. An 1888 article in a N.Y. magazine said they still maintained two factories in New Rochelle. Mostly likely this was the John B. Davids Company and a factory for the production of wax, wafers and miscellaneous products.

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