Born at
Rothesay, Bute, on 23 February 1796, he was the son of Hugh Marshall, a doctor who died in 1806, and his wife Elizabeth Wilson. The family moved to
Paisley, and he was educated at
Paisley grammar school, the
University of Glasgow and the
University of Edinburgh. On 2 September 1818 Marshall was licensed to preach by the presbytery of
Glasgow; his calm preaching style was noticed by
Thomas Chalmers. First assisting his mother's friend, Dr. Robert Balfour, at the Outer High Church, Glasgow, he succeeded to Balfour's charge at his death in 1819. In 1828 he was appointed by the Edinburgh town council to the
Tolbooth Kirk. Members of his family dying within this period are buried in
St Cuthberts Churchyard at the west end of
Princes Street. Before the
Disruption of 1843 in the Church of Scotland, Marshall generally sympathised with non-intrusionist party; but in the event he broke with the
Free Church and became an
Anglican. He sent in his resignation to the presbytery of Edinburgh on 29 September 1841, and, after being confirmed by
Charles Terrot, the
Bishop of Edinburgh, was ordained by
Edward Maltby, the
Bishop of Durham as curate to
William Stephen Gilly at
Norham (19 December). He took priest's orders on 6 February 1842, and was appointed to the rectory of
St. Mary-le-Port, Bristol. In 1845 Marshall became secretary to the newly founded Lay Readers' Association. In May 1847 he was appointed by the
Simeon Trustees to the living of
Christ Church, Clifton Down, which he held till his death. After three years of bad health, Marshall died on 29 August 1855 at his house, Vyvyan Terrace,
Clifton, Bristol, and was buried on 4 September in the Clifton parish church burial-ground. ==Works==