Joseph Ekins was born at Riseley BDF, and worked as an agricultural labourer, probably at Yelden, where he met and married Emma Campion of Yelden, in 1872.

In 1881 his brother John aged 15 was living with them at Yelden, and Joseph and Emma now had Thomas born 1876, Mary A (Miriam) in 1879 and Alfred in 1880. The 1891 Census tells they also had Catherine in 1884, Dinah 1887, Charles in 1888, Sam in 1890, and William was born in 1898.