My grandfather is named Picaman, as was his father, Julius William Picaman and grandfather, John William Picaman. He told me that his grandfather came from Germany on a freighter when he was about 15-17 years old, c. 1861-1863. He had a brother named Jake Pickerman.
Those two, John and Jake, had changed their names from German when they arrived in Paducah, KY. From Ancestry.com, I see only one connection to them--Pichelmann, from Germany.
As for Jake, he stayed in Paducah, to my knowledge. John moved West, to the Cherokee Nation.
John Picaman had a nephew, John Allen Picaman, who moved to California, enlisted in the Army, was sent to the Pacific Theater in WWII and survived the Bataan Death March.
Note that so far, most of the above concerning the arrival in Kentucky is unvetted--I don't have sources other than family history.
Does anyone else have information on the surname "Picaman" or John William Picaman, whether arriving from Germany, in Kentucky, in California, in military records or in the Cherokee Nation? Also, some Picaman surnames are reported to be in Kansas as well.