Born and raised in Britain to a Scottish mother and Cherokee father, young John enlisted in the Royal Army and was posted to what would become his true homeland. Being posted to Fort Niagara he soon became enamoured with the local natives, the Haudenosaunee or Iroquois. Quickly learning the Mohawk language, he soon deserted and joined the Grand River Six nation.

Becoming a teacher, he began to teach English to Mohawk children. He became quite the expert on the Mohawk language even so far as translating the new testament completely to Mohawk. John quickly rose through the Mohawk ranks before being noticed by Joseph Brant himself. He was adopted by Brant and made a War Chief able to command Mohawk warriors in battle.

One of his first battles as War Chief was the disastrous battle of Tippecanoe in which Tecumseh’s fledgling army was almost destroyed before it was fully formed. After the events of November 1811, John returned to Upper Canada and pledged himself and the warriors of the Grand River to Great Britain for the upcoming war against the Americans.