Jesse J. Davis was one of several small-scale piano makers in New York City during the 19th Century. Jesse Davis built a very limited number of hand-made, high quality instruments, mostly square pianos, as well as manufacturing keys and action parts for other makers. Davis is first listed in 1844 at 25 Cornelia Street, New York City. In the late 1850s, Davis went into partnership with Abel Rogers to establish the firm of Rogers & Davis, building pianos, keys and action parts until the 1860s.