Trained as infantry 1st Lieut. but was actually in OCS when the armistice was signed. He received a B.A. from the University of Richmond in 1918. In 1919, he went to China in employ of the Tobacco Products Corp. of New York, established a marketing organization there, and managed it for ten years. In 1931, he set up in business importing Chinese arts and crafts, with offices in L.A. and Shanghai. He traveled extensively in China, Mongolia, and Tibet. At the time of the book's publication in 1950, John was listed as living in "Normandy Beach, New Jersey," the location of which has not been determined. At the same time, he was identified as president of Tyler Products of North Hollywood, California.
