Isaiah Merchant

Name	Isaiah Merchant
Actor	Linden Banks
Dates	1876 - April 15, 1912 (killed by Melanie Merchant) 1912 - 2006 (spirit laid to rest by Sam and Dean Winchester)
Location	New Paltz, New York
Occupation	Death Omen Ghost Barber
Episode(s)	1.19 Provenance

History

Isaiah Merchant was a 36 year-old barber who adopted a young girl named Melanie who murdered her family in 1912. Isaiah was described as being a harsh man in life. He and his entire family were murdered one night by Melanie with a straight razor and she then killed herself. Isaiah was blamed for the murders and no one knew the truth for a long time. His spirit has been trapped in the painting and trying to warn people of his daughter ever since.

Episodes

1.19 Provenance

Isaiah possessed his family's portrait along with Melanie. He would attempt to warn people about his evil daughter who would kill the owners of the painting. He would change aspects in the painting to try to convey the warning, but no one figured it out until Sam and Dean Winchester investigated some of Melanie's murders. Isaiah tried to warn them by looking down at Melanie in the painting and opening the straight razor, but failed as they believed him to be the murderer. Presumably in an attempt to lead them to Melanie's remains, Isaiah changed the painting within the painting to show the Merchant Mausoleum where his family's ashes were interred with a doll of Melanie's that contained a lock of her hair that tied her to the Earth. The Winchesters and Sarah Blake traveled to the mausoleum where they found the ashes of his family but not Isaiah's. Still believing him to be a murderer, they found out his surviving relatives didn't want him interred with his family and had him buried in a pauper's grave. Sam and Dean salted and burned Isaiah's bones, putting him to rest and changing the painting back to normal, but also getting rid of all of his warnings about Melanie's true nature.

Trivia

• Linden Banks also played Mr. Brennan in 6.09 Clap Your Hands If You Believe....