Son of David Marchant 1784-1826 and Hannah Price b 1794. Born in Poppleton, Yorkshire, England, migrated with his two sons John and David and his new wife to the states in 1850.

Husband of Martha Cluff/Clough. They were married about 1837 in Yorkshire, England, and had the following children all born in England:
* David Marchant 1838–1838
* Anne Marchant 1839–1841
* David Cluff Marchant 1840–1913
* John Cluff Marchant 1843–1921
* Hanna Marchant b 1845
* Henry Marchant 1847–1847
* William Marchant 1848-1848

Secondly, he was the husband of Matilda Hollis of Poole, Yorkshire, the daughter of Thomas Hollis and Alice M Hardesty. They married about 1849 and had the following children:
* Elizabeth M Marchant, Mrs Jefferson Gillam 1850–1924, born in Missouri
* Alice H Marchant, Mrs Henry Witte 1852–1927, born in Missouri
* Thomas H Marchant 1854–1911, born in Utah
* George Marchant 1856–1858, born in Utah
* Sarah Catherine Marchant, Mrs Amatore James Maestretti 1858–1921, born in Utah
* Mary Jane Marchant, Mrs James Scott 1859–1921, born in Amador, CA
* William Marchant 1862–1940, born in Amador, CA
* Henry Marchant 1863–1877, born in Amador, CA
* Martha Matilda Marchant, Mrs Clovis LaGrave 1865–1929, born in Amador, CA

After John was murdered by a blow to his head, Mathilda married a John Steele.

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State of California-County of Amador
Before C. H. Kelly, Coroner
In the matter of the inquisition upon the body of John Marchant deceased. We the undersigned, the jurors, summoned to appear before C. H. Kelly, the coroner of Amador Co. at Lancha Plana on the 5th day of Dec. 1864 to enquire into the cause of the death of John Marchant having been duly sworn according to law and having made such inquisition, after inspecting the body, and hearing the testimony adduced, upon our oaths, each and all do say, that we find the deceased was named John Marchant was a native of Yorkshire, England aged about Fifty years, that he came to his death on the 5th day of Dec. 1864 in this county by a blow on the head, at the hands of M. Doonan, of Campo Seco, by some penetrating instrument, on or about the 4th day of Nov. 1864, and we further believe M. Doonan to be the person, by whose act the death of the said John Marchant was occasioned all of which we duly certify by this inquisition in writing, by us signed this 5th day of Dec. 1864.