The American Revolution and The St. John River
In 1776 the American Revolutionary War, 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.
Read more about this topic: William Davidson (lumberman)
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