John was the son of Thomas Jones Halliburton and Sarah Dysart.
He was the proprietor of the Hotel Morgan in Morganton, NC.

From The Morganton News Herald, 13 June 1912:

"Death of Mr. J. C. Hallyburton"

"The announcement of the death of Mr. J.C Hallyburton, proprietor of Hotel Morgan, which occurred at the hotel at 9:30 Saturday night, cam as a shock to most of his friends who did not know of his illness of only a day. He had attended to business on Friday, extending to his friends his usual cordial greeting. He became ill Saturday morning, but his illness was not thought to be serious. Saturday night there was a sudden change for the worse and he soon expired, from heart failure.
Mrs.Hallyburton was visiting her son Mr. James Hallyburton in Asheville, at the time and came down with her son Sunday morning. Miss Addie Hallyburton was with her father when the end came.
The deceased was a son of the late Thomas and Sarah Hallyburton, of Bridgewater, and was nearing his 62nd birthday. In 1872 he married Miss Annie F. Kincaid, a daughter of James Kincaid, who for many years was a prominent business man of Morganton and Clerk of the Court for several terms. By the union there were nine children, four of whom, with the widow, survive. The surviving children are Messrs. James Hallyburton, of Asheville, Tom Hallyburton, of New York, Ned Hallyburton, of Griffin, Ga., and Miss Addie Hallyburton, of Morganton. All were present except Mr. Tom Hallyburton, who could not get here. Besides the immediate family, deceased leaves a large connection, most of whom live in this section.
The funeral was held on Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock from the Methodist church and interment was at Forest hill cemetery. Rev. H. H. Jordan conducted the services.
Mr. Hallyburton was gentle, kind-hearted, and numbered his friends by the score. He had his faults ---and we all have them ---but, as the preacher so aptly said, let us forget his faults and cherish his virtues --- and they were many."