John and Eliza nee Spencer see Family Tree     (generation 20 J&ES John = Eliza)

John was born in Devonport,Plymouth, Devon during 1827 the son of John and Esther Whitehouse and the grandson of William and Martha Uglow. During 1856 when he was 28 years old he married Eliza Spencer who appears to have been then 20 years old at Ashby (de la Zouch) about 8 miles South-East of Burton-on-Trent. She appears to have been the youngest child of a John and Catherine Spencer and was born in Ashby de la Zouch. As yet her exact date of birth is unknown, probably sometime during 1835.

After their marriage they lived at Burton-on-Trent where John is recorded as a Brewery Traveller or Agent. John and Eliza had five children, two dying before christening plus two daughters and a son who survived to adulthood. Sometime between 1871 and Eliza's early death, aged 41, in 1876, the family moved from Burton-on-Trent to Ashby de la Zouch possibly to be closer to Eliza's family. After the daughters finished their education they stayed at home helping with the housework until their father died in Ashby during 1882 aged 55.