He was christened in the parish of
St Bartholomew-by-the-Exchange in London on 27 Oct 1605,[1] a younger son of Thomas Buckner, a London
mercer at whose house
Thomas Harriot died in July 1621. His father had accompanied Harriot to the New World on the first (abortive)
Roanoke Colony venture in 1585, led by
Ralph Lane.[2] William Buckner matriculated at
Christ Church in Oxford at the age of 16 in October 1621 and ultimately was conferred the M.A. degree in 1626. He pursued a career in the Anglican Church. Buckner was ordained a priest in 1629 and instituted
rector of
Hertingfordbury, Hertfordshire in 1630.[3] He resigned that position soon after to become vicar of
Damerham and
Martin, then in Wiltshire.[4] At some point, he became the minister of St Thomas parish in
Salisbury[5] and was collated Archdeacon of Sarum in 1643 on the death of his predecessor
Thomas Marler. Like many Anglican clergy, he was deprived of his office during the
Commonwealth. He died in late 1657 and was succeeded by
Anthony Hawles.[6]