John Pearson was born 19 January 1825 in
Leeds, Yorkshire, England. He married Selina Smart in the General Baptist Church in
Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England on 6 April 1851. He was aged 25 and was a private in the 8th Hussars, living in the barracks in Trowbridge, the son of Stephen Pearson, a gardener. Selina Smart is shown as age 20, a spinner, a feeder by profession, living on Stallard Street, daughter of Edward Smart, a spinner. He was 33 years old and a
private in the
8th Hussars (The King's Royal Irish),
British Army during the
Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place, on 17 June 1858 at
Gwalior,
British India, Pearson took part in a charge by a squadron of the 8th Hussars. Four men in this action, Pearson,
Clement Walker Heneage,
Joseph Ward, and
George Hollis were awarded the
Victoria Cross, the joint citation reading as follows: ==Further information==