Was born on the 28 December 1845 at Tingwall, Shetland, Scotland
There is little pubic data on John, but a life at sea was his calling, as shown in the 2 following certificates.
On the 1 March 1870, John married Frances Mary Morse. Together, they had the following children
| Child | Born | Married | Children | Died | Notes |
| Fleming Morse | 27 Dec 1870 | Abt. 1900 | 4 | 4 Aug 1948 | White |
| Fanny Maud | 22 Jun 1873 | – | – | 3 Oct 1873 | – |
| Fanny Maud | 22 Jul 1874 | 1894 | 2 | 27 Dec 1941 | Roberts |
| Thomas John Turnbull | 5 Sep 1876 | 1907 | 1 | 7 Oct 1963 | Richards |
| John Gilbert | 22 Oct 1878 | 1904 | 6/2 | 12 Jan 1969 | Rule/Burrows |
| Edit Sarah | 1 Mar 1880 | 1908 | 2 | 17 Dec 1965 | Cordingley |
Very sadly on the 10 September 1880 at Cardiff, John passed away aged 34 years of complications from dysentery.
His wife, Frances, remarried in 1885 and 1 further child.
She passed on the 13 Jan 1939 at Cardiff.