Alexander Aikman

Alexander Aikman (23 June 1755 – 6 July 1838) was a Scottish printer, newspaper publisher, planter, and member of Jamaica's House of Assembly.

He was born on 23 June 1755 at Barrowstounness (Bo'ness), County of Linlithgow (now part of Falkirk Council), Scotland.

In 1771, at the age of sixteen, Alexander left Scotland for British South Carolina, He settled in Charleston and apprenticed himself to Robert Wells (1728-1794), a Loyalist and fellow Scotsman.

"[5] Consequently, at the opening of the American Revolutionary War, Wells left the colonies and relocated to London.

Alexander's older brother William operated a book and stationery store on King Street.

In addition, they printed "Almanac and Register," "Observations on the Dysentery of the West Indies," "A Brief History of the Late Expedition against Fort San Juan," and other books.

[12] From 1805 to 1825, Alexander represented the old parish of Saint George as a member of British Jamaica's House of Assembly.

Aikman visited England in 1796 to hire a pressman (in which voyage he was taken by a privateer, and had to repurchase his property at Philadelphia).

[14] From Susannah Aikman's altar tomb (see: Louisa Susanna Wells' page for detail):In the memorable Storm of Novr.

17th and 18th 1795, she escaped shipwreck, together with her Father, Mother, and infant Sister when above 2000 of their fellow creatures met a watery grave near the back of this Island.

After Charlotte's passing, Alexander's two children were raised by his mother, Louisa Susannah Aikman.

[4] Four years later, in 1814, Alexander Aikman Jr. married Mary Bryan (1787-1850) and had seven more children: four daughters and three sons.

Alexander's wife, Louisa, removed to Cowes, Isle of Wight, presumably to be with her daughter, Susannah.

Aikman died on 6 July 1838 at Prospect Park, Saint Andrew, Jamaica, aged 83.

[15] In an obituary notice, published in Gentleman's Magazine, it was said that "he was a truly honorable, worthy and charitable man, and his death is much lamented.