When John Stephen Edwards was born on 1 January 1853, in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States, his father, John Edwards, was 21 and his mother, Charlotte Stephens, was 32. He married Eltha Bishop Pratt on 2 August 1880, in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. They were the parents of at least 2 sons and 2 daughters. He lived in East Millcreek, Salt Lake, Utah, United States in 1900 and Salt Lake City Ward 1, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States for about 10 years. He died on 17 January 1922, in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States, at the age of 69, and was buried in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States.