William, of Lowick, Northampton county, England, esquire, was born ca 1445-53. That he was a man of considerable social standing and prestige in Northampton county is indicated by the fact that he is first mentioned in 1473 as an executor of the will of John Stafford, Earl of Wiltshire, a younger son of Humphrey Stafford, the powerful Duke of Buckingham.

William Marbury married about this time into the prominent family of Blount. His wife Anne, daughter of Sir Thomas Blount and Agnes Hawley, was niece of Sir Walter Blount, Lord Mountjoy, K.G., who in 1467 had married Anne Neville, the widow of Humphrey Stafford, Duke of Buckingham.

Sir Walter Blount, his wife Anne, Duchess of Buckingham, and William Marbury were co-executors of the will of Anne's son, John, Earl of Wiltshire. In the will, dated April 21, 1473, the Earl of Wiltshire made William a guardian of his only son, Edward, then age three: "Also I will pray William Marbury to be attendaunte to my sonne and he to have rule about him." It was William's brother, Robert, however, who attended the second Earl in the capacity of gentleman-usher for a period of twenty-five years. In 1494, Edward, the new Earl of Wilshire, alienated the noted old manor of Drayton to William Marbury, et al.

Five years later the Earl died. William Marbury was present when he made his will, and, according to later testamentary proceedings, the Earl entrusted his will (which was "sealed with a signet of gold") to William Marbury. Marbury in the will is referred to as being enfeoffed of lands in co. Northampton. He, Robert Whittlebury, esquire, and Thomas Montague, gentleman, were made co-executors of the will, and under its terms were directed to form two chantries, one at Lowick, co. Northampton, the other at Pleshy, co. Essex, where the Duchess of Buckingham, the Earl's grandmother, was buried in 1480. Pleshy was where William's son, Humphrey, undoubtedly named after Humphrey, Duke of Buckingham, was installed later as minister.

From about 1500 on William Marbury's name appears quite frequently in the records. From the time of the death of the Earl (1499) until his own death, he, individually, received and held the profits and income of the manors of Drayton and Lowick, his brother Robert holding the former and Robert Whittlebury the latter after his decease. He was an executor of the will of Henry Verr of Great Addyngton (Henry Veer is mentioned in the will of Robert Marbury). From July 9, 1500 to December 8, 1506 he is shown by the Patent Rolls to have been a Commissioner of the Peace at various times for the following counties: Leicester, Lincolnshire, Northampton, and Rutland. On March 1, 1500/1 he had founded the chantry at Culworth under the will of Edward, Earl of Wiltshire.

The exact date of death of William is not known. In the Inquisition Post Mortem on the Earl of Wiltshire, William Marbury is shown to have held the manors of Drayton and Lowick from 1499 to October 1 [1512], 28 Henry VII. It would seem that William Marbury died shortly before October 1 [1512], 28 Henry VII. But Henry VII reigned only 24 years! We know, however, that William Marbury was living December 8, 1506, the date he last became Commissioner of the Peace for co. Rutland and was deceased before August 8, 1513, the time of his brother's will. A subsequent reference to the Inquisition to the church at Lowick being vacant 24 Henry VII suggests that 28 was an error for 24. Assuming this to be true, William Marbury died shortly before October 1, 1508, a date which, if not correct, is certainly approximate.

Anne Blount, who had been born between 1453 and 1462, died on 20 November 20, 1537. The inquisition into the estate of Ann Marbury, widow, was taken at Boston, Lincolnshire, on March 14, 1537/8. Long before her death, she had been seised of her contingent shares of the inheritance of Robert Blount, esquire, deceased, as one of his (three) sisters and heirs. When Anne died, her son and heir Robert Marbury, esquire, was aged fifty years and more. Her estate, as extended, consisted of one third of each of fourteen tenements having a net yearly value of £15 10s. 10d. and one farthing.

See lineage of Marbury Family

Read the Biography of William's father, John Marbury

Read the Biography of William's son, Robert Marbury

Read the Biography of William's grandson, William Marbury

Read the Biography of William's great grandson, Rev. Francis Marbury

Read the Biography of William's famous GG Granddaughter, Anne Marbury Hutchinson

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