While we have already discussed Joseph Warren Revere (1777-1868) here the highlights of his career bear repeating. Paul’s third child with his second wife Rachel, Joseph was the “and Son” of The Revere and Son Copper Company, working with his father from the company’s inception in 1801. In 1804 he carried out the US’s first case of industrial espionage to bring Britain’s secret technology for rolling copper sheets into the country. He was instrumental in bringing railroads to Canton and oversaw the expansion of the company (including the construction of the two buildings that still stand today). Joseph was president of the Company from his father’s retirement in 1811 until his own death in 1868.
Fredrick Walker Lincoln (1796-1871) was the son of Paul Revere’s daughter Debrorah and Amos Lincoln. He was apprenticed into the family business at a young age and quickly rose to a supervisory position, managing the copper works and working as a field agent for a time. Though he had a stint as director of both the Neponset Bank and the Stoughton Branch Railroad, he maintained his connection to the family business. He succeeded his uncle as president of the company in 1869 and held the position until his own death in 1871.
James Davis Jr. (1806-1881) joined his father’s brass manufacturing business in 1828. The James Davis and Son Company made brass parts and fittings for many of the same clients (including the Navy) for which the Revere and Son Company was making copper sheeting and other copper parts. Later in 1828 the two companies realized they were working with the same clients and with similar materials and that a merger would be mutually beneficial. They took on the name ‘The Revere Copper Company.” James Davis Sr. became the first treasurer of this new company, a role his son took over in 1843 and maintained until retiring in 1872. However, upon Fredrick’s death James came out of retirement to become the company president from 1871 until his death in 1881.
John Revere (1822-1886) was the oldest son of Joseph Warren Revere. He was well educated, graduating from Harvard in 1841. After some time traveling John officially joined the family business in 1845, first as a clerk, later becoming an agent, then managing the Canton mill, then treasurer, and finally becoming president of the company in 1881. Like his predecessors he maintained this position until his death in 1886.
Henry Winsor (1803-1889) was originally from Duxbury, MA but made a name for himself in Philadelphia as the president of The Boston and Philadelphia Steamship Company. He married Mary Ann Davis, younger sister of James Davis Jr., in 1832. While maintaining his position with the steamship company he was also chosen to become president of Revere Copper upon John Revere’s death. He too kept the job until his death in 1889.
Of the Revere Copper Company’s first six presidents Paul Revere himself was the only one to retire (and even he maintained contact with the company until his death). This suggests a level of dedication and loyalty that can be difficult to match. These leaders must have also been good people to work for as they inspired the same qualities in their employees.
Most of the information for this article came from “50 Years with The Revere Copper Company”, a paper read at an 1890 stockholders meeting by S.T. Snow – a man who had worked his way up the company ranks and was treasurer at the time of the meeting, and who knew each of the company presidents (except Paul Revere) personally.
