When John Wesley Founds was born on 1 April 1887, in Beattie, Marshall, Kansas, United States, his father, James William Founds, was 41 and his mother, Julia Samantha Reager, was 30. He had at least 1 son with Francis W. Berg. He lived in Mount Pleasant, Clackamas, Oregon, United States in 1930 and Sandy Election Precinct 2, Clackamas, Oregon, United States in 1940. He registered for military service in 1918. He died on 2 November 1970, in Westland, Umatilla, Oregon, United States, at the age of 83, and was buried in Portland, Multnomah, Oregon, United States.