John and his brother purchased 200 acres of Lot 1, Concession 2 from Alexander McQueen (near Fitzroy), who had patented it in 1828, in 1836.John is listed there in the 1842 census for Canada West, where he is listed as a yeoman owning his land, with 86 acres uncultivated, and 14 acres cultivated.

He is listed as a farmer in Fitzroy in the 1851 census.