William Maule arrived in Virginia by 1709. There he met Thomas Pollock, who recommended Maule to the office of deputy surveyor general of North Carolina. He later moved to Chowan Precinct, where he served as a colonel during the Tuscarora War. After the war, he became the colony's surveyor general, serving in that post from 1714 to 1723. Through his office, Maule amassed large tracts of land for himself and his critics accused him of being exploitative and aggressive in his dealing with American Indian nations unlike his predecessor John Lawson. The North Carolina Council heard several complaints about Maule's conduct from several nations including the Wyanoke, Meherrin, and Tuscarora. Maule later served on the North Carolina Council from 1724 to 1725. He died in Bertie Precinct in 1726.