On December 29, 1812, Samuel Merchant, the sixth child of Epes and Sally (Thomas) Merchant was born. As were many in his family, Samuel was a fisherman by trade and he raised a large family in Gloucester after his marriage to Sally Davis on June 8, 1834. Sally, also a Gloucester native, was born on August 17, 1812 to Samuel and Sally (Day) Davis.

A fisherman all his life, Samuel rose to be master of several vessels. He was skipper on the Richmond (82 tons), the Clinton (50 tons), the Clarion (72 tons -- the old tonage) as well as other vessels. As a fisherman he went after codfish and mackeral while sailing for his father's firm Epes Merchant & Son until about 1847. At about that time he and three of this brothers chose to continue in the fishing business together until their respective deaths.

During the time that Samuel worked in the fishing trade he also worked with Moses Lufkin (probably the first in the business) in the smoked halibut business. The smoke house was an old hen house on Eastern Ave. on the Thomas estate. The Lufkin business was located on Friends Island which eventually became known as Five Pound Island. It was in this business that Samuel made his money, six to eight thousand dollars. At the time of his father's death, Samuel also inherited the Land at the Head of the Harbor which eventually became the location for Shute & Merchant. In a news article dated October 23, 1839, it notes that Samuel was chosen on the town Whig Committee. He died on January 9, 1860 at the age of 47 years, 11 days.