On 17 January 1860, Acland married Emily Weddell Harper, the eldest daughter of Bishop Harper, at St Michael's Church.
The Bishop's fifth daughter, Sarah Shephard Harper, was married at the same ceremony.
 In 1858, Charles Tripp had married Ellen Shephard Harper, the third daughter of Bishop Harper.
With Acland's marriage, the friends became brothers in law.
 In the same ceremony as Tripp, the Bishop's second daughter, Mary Anna Harper, married Charles Blakiston.

The Aclands had eleven children.
Two of them, Barton Dyke (d. 1863) and Emily Dyke (d. 1864), died in infancy.
Five daughters (Harriet Dyke, Lucy Alice Dyke, Elizabeth "Bessie" Dyke, Emily Rosa Dyke, Agnes Dyke and Mary Emily Dyke) lived to adulthood.
John Dyke Acland returned to live in England and was a Justice of the Peace in Somerset.
Henry Dyke Acland was Chairmen of the Board of Governors of Canterbury College (1918–1928) and became the Danish consul to Christchurch in 1926.
Hugh Acland, later to become a prominent surgeon, was their eleventh and youngest child.
Hugh Acland's son Jack Acland became MP for Temuka.

JBA Acland's sister Agnes married Arthur Mills, who later became MP in the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
His father's baronetcy was passed onto his brother Thomas.
Another brother, Henry, was a physician and educator.
On 17 January 1860, Acland married Emily Weddell Harper, the eldest daughter of Bishop Harper, at St Michael's Church. The Bishop's fifth daughter, Sarah Shephard Harper, was married at the same ceremony.  In 1858, Charles Tripp had married Ellen Shephard Harper, the third daughter of Bishop Harper. With Acland's marriage, the friends became brothers in law.  In the same ceremony as Tripp, the Bishop's second daughter, Mary Anna Harper, married Charles Blakiston.
The Aclands had eleven children. Two of them, Barton Dyke (d. 1863) and Emily Dyke (d. 1864), died in infancy. Five daughters (Harriet Dyke, Lucy Alice Dyke, Elizabeth "Bessie" Dyke, Emily Rosa Dyke, Agnes Dyke and Mary Emily Dyke) lived to adulthood. John Dyke Acland returned to live in England and was a Justice of the Peace in Somerset. Henry Dyke Acland was Chairmen of the Board of Governors of Canterbury College (1918–1928) and became the Danish consul to Christchurch in 1926. Hugh Acland, later to become a prominent surgeon, was their eleventh and youngest child. Hugh Acland's son Jack Acland became MP for Temuka.
JBA Acland's sister Agnes married Arthur Mills, who later became MP in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. His father's baronetcy was passed onto his brother Thomas. Another brother, Henry, was a physician and educator.
John Acland (runholder)