John Hall Lovell was born at Pynda Farm in the parish of Hatherleigh, mid-Devon in early 1892.
He remained at that address until 1897 when he and the family moved to Lower Gorhuish Farm in the parish of Northlew.

The 1901 census for Lowere Gorhuish shows-
John Lovell 35 Head farmer
Annie Hall Lovell Wife 28
John Hall Lovell Son 9
William Henry Lovell Son 7
Ernest Edmund Lovell Son 4
Mabel Annie Lovell Dau 2
Elsie Gladys M Lovell Dau 10m
William H Martin Uncle (of John Lovell sen) 70
Sarah Martin Aunt 56

In early 1904 another son, Leonard Stanley Lovell was born and on 3 June 1906 Annie Hall Lovell dies at the farm aged only 33.
In 1909 John Lovell sen. remarries to Jane Branch. She dies before him and he moves to nearby Milland Farm where he dies on 17 July 1943.
In 1912 John Hall Lovell set off from Gorhuish Farm on his fateful journey. Some newspapers stated he was of Ashbury, Devon. This is a parish that adjoins Northlew so that information is partially correct.