John McAllister Schofield was born September 29, 1831, in Gerry, Chautauqua County, New York, son of Rev. James Schofield (1801-1888) and his first wife, the former Caroline (McAllister) Schofield (1810-1857).
As a young man John Schofield was educated in the public schools, helped his family farm and build their home, then surveyed land in northern Wisconsin before spending a year teaching school in Oneco, Illinois not far from Freeport.