John James Sharman Callaway was born on September 1, 1889, in Whitfield County, Georgia. Callaway was a salesman for the Armour & Co. in Chicago, Illinois, when he registered for the draft (World War I) in June 1917. He joined the Marine Corps in February 1918 and served until he was honorably discharged on account of having a dependent wife in May 1918. Callaway died in Henderson (Vance County) on April 29, 1963.