 William's father and Nicholas' son, Samuel Backhouse (1532–1626) had a similar social standing; he was High Sheriff of Berkshire in 1598 and 1601, met Elizabeth I in 1601, and became the member for Windsor from 1604–11, and Aylesbury in 1614.In 1582, Samuel purchased the family estate of Swallowfield.Though little can be known of his interests, Samuel Backhouse may have had some alchemical knowledge or connections, as a "Sir S. Backus" (likely Samuel, being that he was the only contemporary Backhouse with an "S" name) is credited with the decipherment of a Dutch Cipher in an Ashmolean MSS, associating him with prominent alchemists, Cornelis Drebbel and Edward Dyer.