John Marshall's father was Robert Marshall of Ilminster, whose will of 7 August, 1576, was proved 9 October, 1576 [P. C. C., 29 Carew], naming wife Joan, sons Edward, John, Nicholas, William, John the younger, Roger, and Thomas, and daughter Anne. He left a half interest in tan vats, bark mills, &c., to his eldest son, a quarter interest to John, money to the other children, with 2 acres to Nicholas. and the residue to his wife, who appears to have brought him some property. his wife, "Joane Marshall," had been named as sister in the will [P. C. C., 2 2 Wells, as cited in S. W.] of William Owseley of Chillington in Somerset, near Ilminster, dated 8 October, 1558. His son John the younger became Mayor of Exeter, while John the elder, "of Chillington." was the father of John of Exeter, nephew of the Mayor, as is indicated by his naming in his will [P. C. C., 54 Drury], made and proved in July, 1590, two Sons. Robert and John. In this will "Robert Marshall" is named as a supervisor and signs as a witness. This may have been a certain Robert of flminster, perhaps a cousin of the testator.
There was some connection between these Marshalls of Ilminster in Somerset and those of Teyugrace in Devonshire. The arms of the Teyngrace family, with a difference, were used by the llminster family. The two Marshalls of Teyngrace, John and Thomas, named in the Devon Visitation of 1564, were, along with " Robert Marshall of Ilminster," named as overseers in the will of Thomas Marshall, merchant of Exeter, made 13 March, 1582, and proved [P. C. C., 28 Drury] 18 May, 1590. In the body of the will is named "Robert Marshall my brother's son," who may have been the Robert of Ilminster named at the end as overseer. It seems possible that Thomas of Exeter was uncle to John the Mayor and brother to Robert of Ilminster who died in 1576, and who named a son Thomas, as well as to the father of the Robert of Ilrninster who appears later. It is unfortunate that the parish register of Ilminster of those days has not been preserved. Thomas was Bailiff of Exeter in 1.557 [Izacke], and one of the founders of the Merchant Adventurers Guild [Cotton]. He was married there in 1544 [R. M. A.].
That the grandfather of John Marshall the Mayor was named William is shown by the following pedigree [Westc., p. 502]: "Marshall of Exeter and Chillington in Somerset. Per fess gules and or, in chief 3 antelopes heads erased, or, langued azure, in base a mill-rind sable. Crest, an antelope's head erased, or gorged gales. William Marshall had Robert = Joan, daughter and heir of Owsley of Chillington, who had William, Thomas of Chillington. and .John, Mayor of Exeter in 1615, who married Alice, daughter of Richard Beavis of Exon, and had issue James, Richard, Alice (married Harris), Elizabeth (wife to Thomas Trobridge of Taunton), Jane (wife to James Gould of Exeter), and Susan." As another indication that Thomas Marshall of Exeter may have been son of the William Marshall named in this pedigree, it may be noted that Thomas named his eldest son William, as shown in his will.
Printed from NEHG Register, Volume 59, July 1905, New England Historic Genealogical Society & Broderbund Software, Inc., Banner Blue Division, March 18, 2001