Background
John was born on 1882, in Philadelphia, Tennessee, United States.
John was born on 1882, in Philadelphia, Tennessee, United States.
He graduated from Wesleyan University, Connecticut.
He arrived in China in 1904.
At first he worked as a writer of newspaper and magazine articles.
From 1911 to 1912 he was a Lecturer on China in the United States.
In 1919-1920 he worked as Translator of books on Chemistry into Chinese.
From 1919 to 1920 he was Teacher of Chemistry in University of Pennsylvania.