from "History of Brunswick, Topsham, and Harpswell" by the Wheeler brothers:
MELCHER
The name is from the Hebrew, and indicates a long line of ancestors. The meaning of the word is said to be "the king," "the kingly one," or "the royal one." The true spelling of the word is "Melchior." The name is a common one in Switzerland and in Germany. It is not known who was the first of the name to settle in this country. Joseph Melcher and his brother Samuel Melcher settled in this town about the year 1757, and were the ancestors of all of the name in this vicinity.
JOSEPH MELCHER settled at Bunganock, on the farm now occupied by Jedediah Mariner. He was a housewright by trade. He m. in 1757, Mary Cobb, of "Gorham town.' He d. Apr. 21, 1821, in the 86th year of his age; she d. May 18, 1825, in the 87th year of her age. Ch. were: _ Noah, Nathaniel, Abner, Josiah, Samuel, and nine others. Those named lived in Brunswick.
SAMUEL MELCHER, brother of Joseph, settled at New Meadows, on the farm now occupied by Dea. James Smith, and he built, in 1767, the house which Dea. Smith now occupies. He m. Isabella, dau. of Judge Aaron Hinkley. He d. Mch. 3, 1834, in the 90th year of his age; she d. Aug. 17, 1832, in the 86th year of her age. Ch. were: _ Reliance, b. Nov. 15, 1768, d. Nov. 29, 1804; Mary, b. Aug. 5, 1771; Aaron, b. Feb. 23, 1773; Samuel, b. May 8, 1775, d. Mc. 3, 1862; Elizabeth, b. May 13, 1777; Lois, b. July 2, 1780; Rebecca, b. Mch. 6, 1783, m. a Donnel, now living in West Bath; John, b. May 19, 1785; Noah, b. May 30, 1788, d. in infancy; Rachel, b. Feb. 23, 1793.