He was the eldest son of Charles Scribner I and Emma Elizabeth Blair (1827-1869).

He attended Princeton College, but did not graduate, but instead he came to work at Charles Scribner Company with his father.

[1] The partners in the new firm were John Blair Scribner, Andrew C. Armstrong, and Edward Seymour.

Upon Seymour's death in April 1877, and Armstrong's retirement in 1878, the firm-name was changed to Charles Scribner's Sons.

After John died in 1879, the business was run by his younger brothers, Charles and Arthur.