William Davidson (lumberman) - Back To The Miramichi

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 Greenock, 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.