John was born in 1874 to Emory McClintock of the Mutual Life Insurance Company.
[1] His United States Army service began in the Spanish–American War.
[1] Frank Swett Black appointed him a major in the 203rd New York Volunteers.
He was appointed by Douglas Imrie McKay as a First Deputy Police Commissioner of New York City on February 1, 1914.
[1] He resigned on December 15, 1914 in the aftermath of the killing of Barnet Baff.