The family were not well off, partly because John's love of science and mathematics meant that he did not devote the energy to developing his business in the way he might have done. George, their first child, was born after Mary Ann and John had been married for nine years.
Ang pamilya ay hindi well off, bahagyang dahil John's pag-ibig ng agham at matematika sinadya na siya ay hindi-ukulan ng enerhiya sa pag-unlad ng kanyang negosyo sa paraan na siya maaaring magkaroon ng tapos na. George, ang kanilang unang anak, ay ipinanganak matapos Mary Ann at John had been asawa para sa siyam na taon.