The Davis Sewing Machine Company was in Watertown, New York. In 1888, George Huffman purchased the Davis Sewing Machine Company. He moved the plant form New York to Dayton, Ohio in 1889. The Davis Company built there first bicycles in 1892. At first, they made bikes for other companies and hardware stores. 1895 was the first year that they produced bikes under their name, "Dayton". By 1897 Davis was the largest manufacturer of bikes in the United States. Davis produced very fine cycles produced in one color, carmine red. The Davis Sewing Machine Company went out of business by 1922. Horace Huffman (George's son) started the Huffman Manufacturing Company in 1924, later to be "Huffy".
I have a 1918 Dayton mod. 172 "Motorcycle". These bikes had 28" wooden rims, the "DAYTON" chain wheel, and a double top tube, similar to a motorcycle frame, which they also produced. Davis made the Harley Davidson bicycles from 1917-1922. Bobby Walthour became national champion on a Dayton bike in 1920. In England, there was the Dayton Cycle Co Ltd, 1913 - 1961, which was unrelated to Davis, Dayton, Huffman...