John J. Stevens was born in San Antonio, Texas on April 2, 1852.

[1] He dropped out of school at age 12 to support his family, and held a succession of jobs that included employment with the county clerk's office, the military under a Colonel J. G. C. Lee, and as clerk to Secretary of State of Texas James Pearson Newcomb.

An active Republican, at 18 years of age, he became the private secretary to Governor of Texas, Edmund J.

[1] In 1874, Stevens became deputy of collector of customs in Galveston, and later clerked for the Southern Pacific Railroad in that city.

[1] In 1900, he became owner and operator of the Hot Wells resort in San Antonio,[2] selling his interest in 1905.