William Fitz Clockmaker, watchmaker and silversmith. Newburyport, MA, Portsmouth, NH, Portland, ME and Boston, MA.

William Fitz was born in Newburyport, MA on January 21, 1770. His parents were Mark Fitz and Elizabeth (Campbell) Fitz. William had at least six brothers; Jeremiah born 1760, Nathaniel born 1765, Isaac born 1767, Aaron born in 1773, Samuel born 1777 and Henry born 1785. William was the only clockmaker and most likely trained in his home town. About 1791, William is listed as working in the town of Portsmouth, NH and started his clockmaking business there. He advertised numerous in the New Hampshire Gazette and New Hampshire Mercury (Portsmouth NH) during the years 1793 through 1797 that he had clocks, watches and silver goods for sale. His shop was located on the corner of Market and Congress Streets until 1795 when he relocates to Spring Hill. In 1798, William returns to Newburyport and he works there until 1802 when he moved up to Portland, Maine. This shop was located on Fish Street and he worked as a watchmaker and silversmith. Currently, no clocks are known signed with the place location of Portland. In 1804, he has returned to Newburyport and stays there on Merrimack Street until 1809 when he is next listed as working in Boston until 1827 when he moves to New Orleans, LA.

In the grand scheme of clockmakers, Fitz can not be considered a prolific clockmaker. Very few examples come to the public marketplace in any given decade. Tall case styles vary greatly from one example to the next. Several clocks are known. One country example on public display is currently in the Springfield Art and Historical Society. The inlaid cherry case is a Newburyport example based on the case design. Occasionally a shelf clock will come to market. These closely resemble the examples that David Wood made early in his career.