John was the second son of William I de Soules and Ermengarde Durward.

John had previously protected Galloway from Sir Andrew Harclay, Earl of Carlisle and Warden of the English March.

After the appointment of a Council of Twelve — in practice, a new panel of Guardians — by the leading men of Scotland, which sidelined King John Balliol in 1295, Soules was sent to France along with other envoys to negotiate an alliance.

[2] In 1301 after the resignations of Robert the Bruce and John Comyn he was appointed Guardian of Scotland.

He married Halwise Stewart, the daughter of Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward of Scotland and Jean Macrory, they had the following known issue: This Scottish biographical article is a stub.