Shute & Merchant
the Shutes and Merchants of Cape Ann
Samuel Merchant
(1812-1860)
Samuel Merchant, like most of his brothers began working as mariner at a young age. He eventually rose to become the master of several vessels. While he was a fisherman all his life, he also joined his father in the business of fitting out vessels and marketing fish.
On June 8, 1834 he married Sally Davis, the daughter of Samuel and Sally (Day) Davis.
He and Sally had eight children:
| Samuel, Jr. | 1834 - 1877 | |
| Sarah Abigail | 1836 - 1927 | |
| Epes | 1837 - 1840 | |
| William Thomas | 1840 - 1896 | |
| Epes | 1842 - 1869 | |
| Ada B. | 1845 - 1853 | |
| Lewis Holmes | 1849 - 1891 | |
| Effie | 1853/4 - 1854 |
After the death of his father, he and two of his brothers continued the business, and eventually his son William T. and son-in-law James L. Shute joined him in this same sort of business operation. At the time of his father's death, Samuel inherited the Land at the Head of the Harbor which eventually became the location for Shute & Merchant.