My great great uncle, William Marcher, was captain of a brig called the Shamrock. It may have been the schooner documented in Maritime Newspaper Articles from 1810-1819 by the Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild.

William was married to an Annabelle B, who died on July 28, 1852 in the burning of the Steamer Henry Clay. According to a report in Maritime List 122: of the ten pound island book company: "Apparently a steamship of this name caught fire on the Hudson. Her captain drove her ashore, but nearly 100 aboard were trapped by the flames and died." Another account states that the Henry Clay exploded. (Did the Kingston Trio sing a song about this incident?)

A little history of the Henry Clay from Maritime History of the Great Lakes: "In 1825 there was still but one steamer on the lake [Erie], but the demand for transportation increased so rapidly, and the business was so profitable withal, that the very next year six steamboats, viz., the Superior, William Penn, Niagara, William Peacock, Enterprise, and Henry Clay, were running regularly between Buffalo and Detroit, and in May, 1831, steamboats were making daily trips."

Another angle of the Henry Clay's history from The 24th Infantry Division (Mech) and Fort Riley Web site:
"Company F, 4th Artillery Regiment was garrisoned at West Point, Fort Columbus, and Fort Hamilton, New York from 1827 until 1832. Starting in 1831, a band of over 500 Sac warriors, under Chief Black Hawk, began burning settlers' homes in Illinois in an attempt to re-establish themselves east of the Mississippi. On June 11, 1832, Company F was ordered to battle to help destroy the troublesome "Black Hawk" Indians. The journey from Fort Columbus was perilous. On July 1, 1832, the company embarked on the steamer Henry Clay, but was forced to land at Fort Gratiot, Michigan, due to a small pox and cholera epidemic, which spread among the men on the ship. Company F lost five men to disease. Our unit arrived in the area on September 29, 1832, after hostilities had ceased, and then returned to Fort Columbus."

William and Annabelle had two children: George Kerr, who died with his mother on the Henry Clay and Anna. George Kerr had a son, George B.

In May of 1820, George H. Marcher and his father-in-law, John Wilson, took William Marcher, as well as his presumed associates Charles Webb and Ralph E. Forrester, to county court in Baltimore, Maryland regarding a "contract to build a house and lease a lot on Howard St."

Captain William Marcher died around 1820 near Barbados.

James Marcher was born on January 28, 1782 in Stant John, Preston, Lancashire, England and may have been named after their father. He was a "guilder", a maker of picture frames.  He was said to
have done quite well for himself. He married Sarah Sabrina Mackglen on January 11, 1819 in Nova Scotia, Canada. James died in February 1863 in New York. Sarah died on September 28, 1865.

James Marcher was the father of Robert, Charles, Alfred and two others who died in infancy and three daughters, Maria Louise, Caroline and Emma, who never married.  James Marcher came from England and settled in Nova Scotia in a little town named Windsor, with his wife Sarah, while running a picture framing business in Halifax. James had three brothers.  About 1820 he went to New York City and established the picture framing business near Chambers Street and Broadway.  Then he went to 575 Broadway and rented his house and store from the elder John Jacob Astor. From there he went to East 26th St. near 9th Ave.  He put up his factory about 1855, then had another factory between, West 9th and 10th avenues.  About 1860 he sold it to his son and started again for himself.  While tending to business, he fell over his desk insensible, was taken home to 34 West 29th St. and died within two weeks.  He left his wife and children very comfortable.  The family came originally from Manchester, England.

James Marcher's eldest son Robert had two daughters and one son, Robert, who lived in Syracuse, New York.

Charles Marcher, son of James, had two sons and two daughters, Charles Albert, Amolia Badeau, Caroline, who died in infancy, and Henry Agustus who lived on the Chesepeke, Maryland.

Charles Marcher, son of James, was a gilder, and lived always in New York after he came from his birth place in Nova Scotia.  He served nine years as a volunteer in the Fire Deptartment. He died July 13, 1872.

Alfred Marcher, son of James had two sons and one daughter.  James, Algred and Lulu.  The  sons both died in New Jersey.  Alfred died years ago in Fromont, New York.  His wife Emlly died in Philadelphia, Pa.

James had three sons and three daughters, Maria Louise, Caroline & Emma, who never married.  Maria Louise married Albert Bennett; they had three sons and three daughters Whynalt, Sarah Marla (died in infancy), James, Alberta Louise, Albert, Matilda, Eugene, Matilda died years ago.

Charles Marcher, grandson of James, had four sons and one daughter, Albert Herbert, Julia, Royal, and Benjamin.  Herbert and Julia died in infancy. Charles died in January,  1920.  His family are comfortable in New York.