March 28, 2005

Hickman - "Fleets Known On The Seven Seas"

Howell -> Davison ->Hickman

In the last few weeks some new information surfaced on the Hickman branch of the Howell line that has it's North American origins in New Brunswick, Canada. (click on the link above to see the relationships between Hickman and Howell)

Our previously mentioned Edward Doran Davison, Jr. of saw mill and lumbering fame in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia married Alma "Annie" M. Hickman of New Brunswick.

Annie's grandfather, John Hickman was born in Londonderry, Ireland and came to New Brunswick on a sailing ship in 1817. The ship arrived in Halifax, NS and he settled in Dorchester, Westmorland County, New Brunswick, which borders western Nova Scotia at the northern tip of the Bay of Fundy.

Annies father, Joseph Hickman, also lived in Dorchester and was a shipbuilder. Apparently several members of this Hickman family were involved in shipbuilding and also owned ships. The Keillor house museum web says: " At one point, fleets owned by the Chapman, Hickman, and Palmer families were known on the seven seas."

So...if I were to make a guess (and this is purely a guess!!) the connection between the Hickman family and the Davison family may have started as a business relationship between Edward Doran Davison Sr. (1819-1894) and Joseph Hickman (1821-1889). The Nova Scotia lumberman who shipped all over the world, and his New Brunswick neighbor who built wooden ships that plied the seven seas.

Posted by jhowell at March 28, 2005 10:07 AM