He was the son of Josiah Marvel, a president of the American Bar Association and Mary B Jackson.

Marvel enlisted in the United States Army in September 1942 and was promoted to the rank of Captain in June 1944 after serving in the Aviation Intelligence Office in Washington DC.

[4] During World War II he served with the United States Army Air Forces.

Marvel was appointed the chairman of the International Claims Commission in 1950 and served until 1953, when President Dwight Eisenhower removed him from the position.

[8] Marvel died in December 1955 after being transported to a Wilmington hospital due to a long battle with cancer.