John Scott was born in Milton Abbas, Blandford, Dorset, England over the summer months of 1892 and he was baptised on 10 July that year.

He was the youngest child of Joseph Scott (b. 1836), a native of Milton Abbas and a general labourer, and Susan Ann Hannam (b. 1857), a native of Hilton, Dorset. The couple had married in 1878 and went on to produce eight children, but would lose one in infancy. Their surviving children, besides John, were: Sophia (b. 1878), Mary Ann (b. 1880), Emily (b. 1882), William (b. 1884), Louisa (b. 1887) and Susan (b. 1889).

John first appears on the 1901 census when he and his family were living at an unspecified address in Milton Abbas and his father was described as an estate labourer. His father died aged 71 in 1907 and his mother apparently never remarried. The remaining family appear on the 1911 census living at 15 Milton Abbas Dorset although John is absent and perhaps already at sea.

When he signed-on to the Titanic, on 4 April 1912, John gave his address as 6 Upper Canal Walk, (Southampton), a lodgings address. His last ship had been the Oceanic and as an assistant boots steward he received monthly wages of £3, 15s.

John Scott died in the sinking. His body, if recovered, was never identified.

His mother continued to live in Milton Abbas and she died in 1938.