David Honeyman was born in 1817 at Corbie Hill, Scotland. He studied natural science and oriental languages at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, but chose the church as a profession and devoted his energy to theology. When he moved to Nova Scotia in 1848, service in the ministry was uppermost in his mind.

Ten years later, however, Honeyman resigned his charge at Antigonish to follow his passion for scientific research and geology. The provincial government employed him to make a collection of local minerals and present this collection at various exhibitions worldwide, which he did to rave reviews and international recognition.

Honeyman was a natural choice for the position of curator of the newly established Nova Scotia Museum in 1868. He arranged for the provincial mineral collection (as well as other collections) to be housed under the umbrella of the Museum and acted as curator until his death in 1889.