John was born in year 1793 in Trimley St. Mary,Suffolk and was baptised on January 6th, 1793. John's father was Robert Topple and his mother was Martha Cook. His maternal grandparents were Robert Cook and Elizabeth. He was the second of five children. He had two brothers and two sisters, named Robert, George, Mary and Sarah. He had three half-brothers and two half-sisters, named Samuel, Isaac, Henry, Lydia and Elizabeth.