A native of Armagh, Ulster, Ireland, John was the son of Jacob and Sarah Warnock Scott. At the age of eight, he immigrated to Trafalgar, Canada with his parents. On April 15, 1836, he married Elizabeth Menerey. Elizabeth was born September 10, 1815 in Dublin, Ireland. After their marriage they were converted to the LDS Church; John, his wife, and all of his father's family were baptized into the Mormon religion.

The following year, they moved to Far West, Missouri and two years later to Nauvoo, Illinois, passing through great hardships and persecutions with the Saints at that time. John accepted the principle of plural marriage and took for his wives Mary Pugh on February 3, 1845, and Sarah Ann Willis on March 24, 1846.

John was chosen as one of the bodyguards to the Prophet Joseph Smith and held the position of Colonel in the First Regiment of the Nauvoo Legion. He and all three of his wives were in attendance at the meeting held after the martyrdom when the mantle of the prophet fell upon Brigham Young. They bore testimony of this many times to their family. They traveled to Winter Quarters and came west the following year, settling in Millcreek, Utah. John served a mission to England; and after his return he married his fourth wife, Esther Yeates, on February 11, 1860, later marrying Angeline Roxy Keller April 11, 1868.

John moved Esther and Angeline to Millville in 1868; and he resided there until 1876 when he returned to Millcreek. In December 1876, while visiting his family in Millville, he died of pneumonia. He is buried in the old Salt Lake City Cemetery. His wives were all honorable women who lived lives of good Latter-day Saints and set good examples for all to follow.

Elizabeth Meneray, Mary Pugh and Sarah Ann Willis are all buried at the old Salt Lake City Cemetery. Esther Yeates is buried in Millville. Angeline remarried and relocated to Union County, Oregon. Her burial information is unknown.