Meritt, for many years, was a successful steamboat captain and subsequent a successful merchant in Nashville. He and Nancy are both buried at Mt. Olivet Cemetary, Nashville, Tennessee. Meritt and Nancy had ten children; however, five of them died at an early age. Meritt's name is also sometimes spelled "Merritt."

The three decades between around 1844 to 1874 were considered the packet boat era; tthese boats ran primarily between the waters of the Cumberland River and New Orleans. Capt MS Pilcher was the captain of one of these boats. It was a well known boat called the Red Rover. A Colonel H.L. Claiborne was Capt Pilcher's clerk. [www.claibornesociety.org/reunion/supporting_documents/2005/ABriefLookatNashvillebefore.doc]

Capt Pilcher is also mentioned in Byrd Douglas' book STEAMBOATIN' ON THE CUMBERLAND:
Pages 33 and 34: "The RED ROVER, the third boat of that name, had a registered tonnage of 381 tons and was built in 1840. She was a magnificent boat and plied the Ohio, Mississippi and Cumberland. M. S. Pilcher was captain of all three of these boats. He broke in on the TALMA and also was a pilot. I have heard the first RED ROVER, built in 1828, made a trip up the Big Hatchie to the vicinity of Brownsville. Captain Pilcher was one of the most beloved and respected members of the steamboat fraternity in Nashville for many years and his boats were always well patronized."
Page 15: "...The first RED ROVER owned by James Woods and Company under Captain Joseph Miller was the forerunner of several boats by this name and on one of the Captain Merritt S. Pilcher gained renown."

The Red Rover was a sidewheel, wooden hull packet. A description of seems to be a similar but larger Red Rover is this Red Rover that was 256' X 40.9' X 7.5', 625 tons, powered by 28's- 8 ft., 5 boilers. She was launched: 1857, Louisville, Ky, Initially she ran between Nashville-New Orleans; then, in 1861, Columbas, Ky., then at Island 10. In 1863, she was at Battle of Vicksburg. In 1861 on Nov. 7, she was acquired by the Confederacy. In 1861, the boat was taken by Union forces (see below) and on 29 Nov 1865, Mound City, purchased her at public auction by A.M. Carpenter for $4,500.. Her captain in 1860 was W. Strong; sometime During Civil War, Joseph Beauchamp while used as a hospital ship by the Union forcers. In 1861 Red Rover was hit by union cannon, dammaged and tied to Tenn. shore. She was later taken by Union boats to Cairo, repaired, taken to St. Louis and fitted out as hospital boat. Sje took survivors of the MOUND CITY attack to Memphis where Sisters of the Holy Cross offered to serve aboard. These women became the forerunners of the U.S. Navy Nurse Corp.

History of Red Rover from: http://write4801.tripod.com/riverboats/r.html
Source in part:
------- Original Message --------
Subject: Yes, found Capt. Merritt S. Pilcher.
Date: Tue, 01 Feb 2005 17:49:12 -0600
From: Charmaine Gossett <charmainegossett@earthlink.net>
To: David Pilcher <pilcherd@bellsouth.net>
References: <41FBCE7E.FDAD84CF@earthlink.net> <41FBEFDC.9060104@bellsouth.net> <41FDB8D7.C62EC711@earthlink.net> <41FE2CD6.4090909@bellsouth.net>

Dear David:
Have you ever read Byrd Douglas' book STEAMBOATIN' ON THE CUMBERLAND? Captain Merritt S. Pilcher is mentioned in it on pages 15, 33 and 34.
Of course, you would have to read them in context, but here is the quote on pages 33 and 34: "The RED ROVER, the third boat of that name, had a registered tonnage of 381 tons and was built in 1840. She was a magnificent boat and plied the Ohio, Mississippi and Cumberland. M. S. Pilcher was captain of all three of these boats. He broke in on the TALMA and also was a pilot. I have heard the first RED ROVER, built in 1828, made a trip up the Big Hatchie to the vicinity of Brownsville. Captain Pilcher was one of the most beloved and respected members of the steamboat fraternity in Nashville for many years and his boats were always well patronized."
page 15: "...The first REDD ROVER owned by James Woods and Company under Captain Joseph Miller was the forerunner of several boats by this name and on one of the Captain Merritt S. Pilcher gained renown."

The Nashville Public Library has a copy and you can have it delivered to a branch close to you upon request. Wonderful history of the steamboat on the Cumberland River.

Charmaine

• Married: 26 DEC 1831 in Nashville, Davidson Co, Tn

1. Martha Jane PILCHER b: 13 APR 1835 in Nashville, Davidson Co, Tn
2. Elizabeth PILCHER b: 27 JUL 1836 in Nashville, Davidson Co, Tn
3. Matthew Barrow PILCHER I. b: 1 APR 1840 in Nashville, Davidson Co, Tn
4. Meritt Scott PILCHER II b: 7 MAY 1850 in Nashville, Davidson Co, Tn
5. Alexander Barrow PILCHER b: 1852 in Nashville, Davidson Co, Tn
6. Matthew Barrow PILCHER b: 1833 in Nashville, Davidson Co, Tn
7. James Hensley PILCHER b: 1838 in Nashville, Davidson Co, Tn
8. Meritt Scott PILCHER b: 1841 in Nashville, Davidson Co, Tn
9. Meritt Scott PILCHER b: 1844 in Nashville, Davidson Co, Tn
10. Nancy PILCHER b: 1848 in Nashville, Davidson Co, Tn