John Means (September 21, 1829 – February 14, 1910) was a mayor of Ashland, Kentucky and a leader in the banking and iron industries.

The Kentucky Encyclopedia of 2015 described the Means-owned iron empire as having "created massive enterprises out of the disorganized and weakened industry that emerged from the Civil War.

[6] In 1856 he helped his father and uncle begin the Cincinnati and Big Sandy Packet Company, starting with one boat, called the Scioto,[citation needed] but soon expanding all the large freighters in the iron region.

[4] Others involved in the organization of the company included Washington Honshell, David Gibson, and Hiram Campbell.

In 1869 he was instrumental in organizing the Eastern Division of the Lexington & Big Sandy Railroad Company, and in 1870 was elected to become its president, serving that role until 1891.

[6] Other positions he held included treasurer of the Scioto Valley Railroad, director of the Eureka Iron Company of Alabama, and partner in Means, Kyle & Co.[6] Means was among the Ashland citizens who witnessed the November 1, 1882 shooting of a gathered crowd on the banks of the Ohio River by Kentucky Militiamen aboard a steamboat.

The boat carried the accused murderers of the Ashland tragedy, William Neal and Ellis Craft, and the militia feared an attempted lynching of the prisoners by the crowd.

[4][12] Means was married to Harriet Perkins of Marietta, Ohio, daughter of Samuel Prescott Hildreth, on October 25, 1854.