John Earnshaw was the first child of Thomas Earnshaw and Elizabeth Crosby, born 1825 in Cornforth, Co Durham & christened May 1st, 1825 at Bishop Middleham, Durham.
In 1841 John was living with his parents at Dawdon Hall.
On October 19th, 1846 John married Sarah Thurlbeck at St Andrew's, Dalton-le-Dale, Co Durham. They were both described as of Seaham Harbour & John was a mason & his father Thomas, a labourer. Witnesses at the wedding were Ralph Anderson & Thomas Harrison. John signed the register & Sarah made her mark. Sarah was born July 28th, 1822 at Sunderland, the daughter of Mary Pickering & Thomas Thurlbeck, a pilot.
In 1851 they were living in John St, Dawdon and had a daughter Mary Ann Earnshaw aged 4; John was a stonemason.
10 years later in 1861 John & Sarah were still living at 4 Back John St, Dawdon with daughter Mary A (14) and son John Pickering (2).
John & Sarah (listed as Airnshaw in the census) were still at Back John St in 1871, but only son John was at home. Daughter Mary Anne had given birth to a child, Sarah Anne christened March 31st, 1869 at St John’s, Seaham.
In 1881 John & Sarah were still living at Back John St. Their son John had died in 1879 aged 20. They were still living at Dawdon in 1891 at 26 Viceroy St.
John administered his father’s estate in 1887, his father having died in 1860.
John died in Jan-March quarter 1897 at Dawdon.
By 1901 his widow Sarah (75) lived alone in Henry St, Dawdon and died later that year.
The children of John Earnshaw and Sarah Thurlbeck were:
e.1.1.1 Mary Ann Earnshaw born February 25th,1847 at Seaham, Co Durham; died January 26th 1922 in Straitsville, Ohio, USA
e.1.1.2 John Pickering Earnshaw born March 2nd, 1859 at Seaham, & christened
April 17th, 1859 at St John’s, Seaham, Co Durham, died April-June 1879,
Seaham