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Absalom Woodhurst was born in 1829 in Milton near Sittingbourne to parents William (3) Woodhurst and his first wife Mary (2) (nee) Fryer. He was born on July 8th 1829 and was christened on August 20th 1829 [Sittingbourne Wesleyan Chapel Baptisms Register: IGI Batch C068631]. His surname is entered as Woodhouse in the chapel register. His forename is misrendered as Absolam or Absolom in some sources. He was probably named after his mother's brother Absalom Fryer.
The 1851 Census finds him unmarried and living in Ospringe Road, Faversham with his parents and occupied (like his father) as a brick-maker.
In 1855 he married Sarah Hodges [Marriage Index: Canterbury 2a 776, 1855 (June)]. The Marriage Register of St. Mary Northgate Parish in Canterbury states that the wedding took place on May 27th 1855.
Sarah died in 1858. Her death certificate [Death Index: Maidstone 2a 311, 1858 (Dec)] states that she died aged "36" on December 15th 1858 at Maidstone Infirmary. She is described as the widow of a bricklayer Absalom Woodhurst. The cause of death was certified as "Morbis Cordus, 4 months", signifying cardiac failure. The informant was George Henry Farber - whose connection is unknown - present at the death.
Nothing more is currently known of Absalom, but if Sarah was indeed a widow when she died then he must have died in the period 1855-58. However, a thorough search of the GRO death index for that period, covering all plausible surname variants, has disclosed no reference to his death. It is not impossible that around 1855-56 he had accompanied his brothers Stephen and William (4) to America, perhaps intending that Sarah would follow later, but that he died during the voyage or soon after arriving.