Born to George W. McCraw and Mary (Polly) in Georgia on 15 DEC 1835.

He was living in Ball Ground, Cherokee, Georgia by the 1840 US Federal census. He is found living at the same location in the 1850 and 1860 censuses, having not yet married.

He enlisted as a Private in the Confederate States Army on 22 JUL 1861, in Orange, Cherokee, Georgia. Orange is present day Macedonia.

He served with both the 18th Georgia Infantry, and with Co. F, 28th Georgia Infantry. His CSA Service record indicates he was hospitalized on three different occasions. The first in 1862 in Virgina, unknown if this is from wounds in battle. 21 FEB 1864, he was slightly wounded at Olustee, Florida. 30 SEP 1864, he was wounded and taken Prisoner of War (POW) at the 'Battle of Chaffin's Farm' in Henrico County, Virginia. He was transferred to the US Army Hospital at Fort Monroe, Hampton, Virginia where he had his left leg (above the knee) amputated. By 18 FEB 1865, he was healthy enough to be transferred to a military prison camp at Point Lookout, Maryland. He resided here until the end of the war, taking an oath of allegiance to the United States on 08 JUN 1865.

At some point, he was fitted with a wooden leg, and he returned home to Cherokee County, Georgia marrying Emily Lou Westbrook on 03 DEC 1868. The 1870 census has them living in Cherokee County, but by 1880 they live in Delta County, Texas. Neither census has any children listed. Emily died in Cherokee County, Georgia on 27 APR 1889 (Source: Cherokee Advance obituary).

John applied for a CSA Pension on 06 MAR 1889, and received a pension through 1905. His pension applications were submitted annually, initially in Cherokee County, and then in Gilmer County by 1895.

John married Arrena Ann Jones on 24 APR 1897 in Gilmer County, Georgia.