“Elias Davis of Newburyport, Massachusetts, remains an elusive figure, mentioned in only a few documents,” writes Patricia E. Kane in her monumental and definitive tome, “Colonial Massachusetts Silversmiths and Jewelers.” Davis was born in Newburyport in 1746 and died there in 1783. Some references list his name as Edward Davis, or posit that there were two Newburyport silversmiths named Davis, but Kane thinks this is an error...