William Davidson (lumberman)
Encyclopedia
William Davidson was a Scottish-Canadian lumber
merchant, shipbuilder and politician. He was the first permanent European
settler on the Miramichi River
in the Canadian Province
of New Brunswick
.
, Scotland
, and was engaged in salmon fishing as a young man (see River Spey
). He was born John Godsman, but changed his name to William Davidson after his grandfather. In 1765 he arrived in Nova Scotia
and obtained extensive land grants, he and a partner getting 100,000 acres (400 km²), of which 2/3 was Davidson's share. This amounted to a strip of 13 miles (20.9 km) on either side of the Miramichi River
(then a part of Nova Scotia) with fishing and lumbering rights. He was required to clear and improve the land and establish one Protestant settler for every two acres (8,000 m²).
in 1766 to recruit settlers and supplies. Soon he was shipping fish to the West Indies and furs and fish to Europe
. To employ his workers in the winter he began to cut lumber and brought out from Great Britain a master shipbuilder, shipwrights and other craftsmen.
Throughout his life this visionary, practical, industrious and intelligent man was plagued by bad luck. His first locally built ship, the Miramichi, sank off Spain
on her maiden voyage and his second ship was wrecked in 1775 off the northern tip of Prince Edward Island
. But, other cargoes got through and he soon had a seven year contract with a British firm to supply fish and lumber.
, came along and New England privateers made sailing in the North Atlantic unsafe and rebel sympathizers stirred up the neighbouring Mi'kmaq Indian nation. With shipping so hazardous, the British firm he contracted with was soon bankrupt.
The Mi'kmaq began raids on the Miramichi settlers, and in 1777 Davidson withdrew inland with his employees to Maugerville, a settlement on the St. John River downstream from the site of present city of Fredericton, New Brunswick
. Ever industrious, Davidson soon secured a contract to transport ship's masts and yards down the St. John River to the port of Saint John
for shipment to the Royal Navy
.
In 1783 Davidson was elected a member of the Nova Scotia
House of Assembly
for Sunbury County. The American Revolutionary War
was now over and Davidson moved back to the Miramichi Valley to secure his land grants. He went by ship with his employees and stopped en route at Halifax, Nova Scotia
for supplies.
, Scotland and Halifax, Nova Scotia to provide masts and yards. He also shipped fish to the West Indies and Europe
.
To provide another source of revenue, Davidson sent out employees to fish for cod
in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
But United Empire Loyalists
were pouring into the Maritime Provinces and in 1784 Loyalist settlers in the St. John Valley set up New Brunswick as a separate colony. They were land hungry and revoked Davidson's grant on the grounds that he had not brought out the settlers he promised. He was compensated with a grant of 14,500 acres (59 km²), including the sites of his enterprises.
William Davidson was elected as representative from Northumberland County
to the 1st New Brunswick Legislative Assembly
and served from 1786 until his death.
Davidson was out on snowshoes on business in the winter of 1790, when he was caught in a blizzard. He suffered severely and caught a cold from which he did not recover. He died in June, 1790.
One of his brothers settled close to him. Many thousands of people in the Miramichi and across North America are descendants of the Davidson brothers. He died on June 17, 1790.
Davidson was complimented by a contemporary for his "...genius and high abilities". He must be seen in the context of the great age of the Scottish people. His personal characteristics, industry, vision, practical ability, persistence, and intelligence are the hallmarks of a people who were pioneers in exploration (Alexander Mackenzie, Simon Fraser
and David Livingstone
), industry (Andrew Carnegie
), science (Kelvin), philosophy (David Hume
) and politics( Sir John A. Macdonald). Davidson accomplished much, was not deterred by misfortunes which would discourage most, and was the true founder of a distinctive people, the Miramichiers.
in Banff
, Alberta
. This is very appropriate as Davidson was a native of Moray, very near the boundary with Banffshire
, Scotland
.
The painting has been in the possession of the hotel for many years, and hotel staff believe that it was painted in the last years of the 19th century. It identifies Davidson as Canada's first lumberman, surely a misnomer. He was, perhaps, the first English speaking person to establish a significant commercial lumber business in Canada. But long before, French settlers cut trees for their own use and for local markets.
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
merchant, shipbuilder and politician. He was the first permanent European
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
settler on the Miramichi River
Miramichi River
The Miramichi River is a Canadian river located in the east-central part of New Brunswick. The river drains into Miramichi Bay in the Gulf of St. Lawrence...
in the Canadian Province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
of New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
.
Arrival in the New World
Davidson was born in Cowford, in the Parish of Bellie, MorayMoray
Moray is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It lies in the north-east of the country, with coastline on the Moray Firth, and borders the council areas of Aberdeenshire and Highland.- History :...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and was engaged in salmon fishing as a young man (see River Spey
River Spey
The River Spey is a river in the northeast of Scotland, the second longest and the fastest-flowing river in Scotland...
). He was born John Godsman, but changed his name to William Davidson after his grandfather. In 1765 he arrived in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
and obtained extensive land grants, he and a partner getting 100,000 acres (400 km²), of which 2/3 was Davidson's share. This amounted to a strip of 13 miles (20.9 km) on either side of the Miramichi River
Miramichi River
The Miramichi River is a Canadian river located in the east-central part of New Brunswick. The river drains into Miramichi Bay in the Gulf of St. Lawrence...
(then a part of Nova Scotia) with fishing and lumbering rights. He was required to clear and improve the land and establish one Protestant settler for every two acres (8,000 m²).
Founding a colony
Davidson went to New EnglandNew England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
in 1766 to recruit settlers and supplies. Soon he was shipping fish to the West Indies and furs and fish to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. To employ his workers in the winter he began to cut lumber and brought out from Great Britain a master shipbuilder, shipwrights and other craftsmen.
Throughout his life this visionary, practical, industrious and intelligent man was plagued by bad luck. His first locally built ship, the Miramichi, sank off Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
on her maiden voyage and his second ship was wrecked in 1775 off the northern tip of Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
. But, other cargoes got through and he soon had a seven year contract with a British firm to supply fish and lumber.
The American Revolution and the St. John River
In 1776 the American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, came along and New England privateers made sailing in the North Atlantic unsafe and rebel sympathizers stirred up the neighbouring Mi'kmaq Indian nation. With shipping so hazardous, the British firm he contracted with was soon bankrupt.
The Mi'kmaq began raids on the Miramichi settlers, and in 1777 Davidson withdrew inland with his employees to Maugerville, a settlement on the St. John River downstream from the site of present city of Fredericton, New Brunswick
Fredericton, New Brunswick
Fredericton is the capital of the Canadian province of New Brunswick, by virtue of the provincial parliament which sits there. An important cultural, artistic, and educational centre for the province, Fredericton is home to two universities and cultural institutions such as the Beaverbrook Art...
. Ever industrious, Davidson soon secured a contract to transport ship's masts and yards down the St. John River to the port of Saint John
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
for shipment to the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
.
In 1783 Davidson was elected a member of the Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
House of Assembly
House of Assembly
House of Assembly is a name given to the legislature or lower house of a bicameral parliament. In some countries this may be at a subnational level....
for Sunbury County. The American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
was now over and Davidson moved back to the Miramichi Valley to secure his land grants. He went by ship with his employees and stopped en route at Halifax, Nova Scotia
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
for supplies.
Back to the Miramichi
Davidson lost no time on his return to the Miramichi. Most of his employees came with him. He spent 5,000 pounds sterling on a shipyard, a sawmill and stores and other buildings and was soon back in business. In the period 1783 to 1785 he lost several more vessels and their cargoes to the North Atlantic. But some got through and he signed a contract with Wm. Forsyth and Co. of GreenockGreenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
, Scotland and Halifax, Nova Scotia to provide masts and yards. He also shipped fish to the West Indies and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
To provide another source of revenue, Davidson sent out employees to fish for cod
Cod
Cod is the common name for genus Gadus, belonging to the family Gadidae, and is also used in the common name for various other fishes. Cod is a popular food with a mild flavor, low fat content and a dense, flaky white flesh. Cod livers are processed to make cod liver oil, an important source of...
in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
But United Empire Loyalists
United Empire Loyalists
The name United Empire Loyalists is an honorific given after the fact to those American Loyalists who resettled in British North America and other British Colonies as an act of fealty to King George III after the British defeat in the American Revolutionary War and prior to the Treaty of Paris...
were pouring into the Maritime Provinces and in 1784 Loyalist settlers in the St. John Valley set up New Brunswick as a separate colony. They were land hungry and revoked Davidson's grant on the grounds that he had not brought out the settlers he promised. He was compensated with a grant of 14,500 acres (59 km²), including the sites of his enterprises.
William Davidson was elected as representative from Northumberland County
Northumberland County, New Brunswick
Northumberland County , having the largest area of any county in the province, is located in northeastern New Brunswick, Canada.-Geography:Northumberland County is covered by thick forests, whose products stimulate the economy...
to the 1st New Brunswick Legislative Assembly
1st New Brunswick Legislative Assembly
The 1st New Brunswick Legislative Assembly represented New Brunswick between January 3, 1786 and 1792.The assembly sat at the pleasure of the Governor of New Brunswick, Thomas Carleton. The first and second sessions were held at the Mallard House, an inn in Saint John...
and served from 1786 until his death.
Davidson was out on snowshoes on business in the winter of 1790, when he was caught in a blizzard. He suffered severely and caught a cold from which he did not recover. He died in June, 1790.
Family and legacy
When he was living at Maugerville, Davidson married Sarah Nevers. They had five children.One of his brothers settled close to him. Many thousands of people in the Miramichi and across North America are descendants of the Davidson brothers. He died on June 17, 1790.
Davidson was complimented by a contemporary for his "...genius and high abilities". He must be seen in the context of the great age of the Scottish people. His personal characteristics, industry, vision, practical ability, persistence, and intelligence are the hallmarks of a people who were pioneers in exploration (Alexander Mackenzie, Simon Fraser
Simon Fraser (explorer)
Simon Fraser was a fur trader and an explorer who charted much of what is now the Canadian province of British Columbia. Fraser was employed by the Montreal-based North West Company. By 1805, he had been put in charge of all the company's operations west of the Rocky Mountains...
and David Livingstone
David Livingstone
David Livingstone was a Scottish Congregationalist pioneer medical missionary with the London Missionary Society and an explorer in Africa. His meeting with H. M. Stanley gave rise to the popular quotation, "Dr...
), industry (Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
), science (Kelvin), philosophy (David Hume
David Hume
David Hume was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist, known especially for his philosophical empiricism and skepticism. He was one of the most important figures in the history of Western philosophy and the Scottish Enlightenment...
) and politics( Sir John A. Macdonald). Davidson accomplished much, was not deterred by misfortunes which would discourage most, and was the true founder of a distinctive people, the Miramichiers.
Portrait
A large portrait of William Davidson felling trees on the Miramichi hangs on an internal staircase of the Banff Springs HotelBanff Springs Hotel
The Fairmont Banff Springs or simply the Banff Springs Hotel is a former railway hotel constructed in Scottish Baronial style located in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. The original hotel, designed by American architect Bruce Price, was built between spring of 1887 and 1888 by the Canadian...
in Banff
Banff, Alberta
Banff is a town within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is located in Alberta's Rockies along the Trans-Canada Highway, approximately west of Calgary and east of Lake Louise....
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. This is very appropriate as Davidson was a native of Moray, very near the boundary with Banffshire
Banffshire
The County of Banff is a registration county for property, and Banffshire is a Lieutenancy area of Scotland.The County of Banff, also known as Banffshire, was a local government county of Scotland with its own county council between 1890 and 1975. The county town was Banff although the largest...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
The painting has been in the possession of the hotel for many years, and hotel staff believe that it was painted in the last years of the 19th century. It identifies Davidson as Canada's first lumberman, surely a misnomer. He was, perhaps, the first English speaking person to establish a significant commercial lumber business in Canada. But long before, French settlers cut trees for their own use and for local markets.