John Edward Owen was born at East Charlton in Victoria on 24 June 1879. His birth certificate records that his father was John Richard Owen, a labourer, aged 22 years whose birthplace was Back Creek, Dunolly Victoria. His mother was Catherine Buist aged 24 years and whose birthplace was Port Fairy in Victoria.

He married Jane Bradbury in around 1900. The 1903 Commonwealth electoral roll shows John Edward, a miner, and Jane Elizabeth Owen living at Woolgar in northern Queensland. It seems that John and Jane separated not long after this and Jane later remarried (their daughter Violet was raised by her grandparents). In 1905 and 1908 John Edward was at Powlathanga and working as a wood cutter. In 1913 he was again working as a miner and living at Ord near Chillagoe. Also registered at ord was an Agnes Owen, home duties. In 1919 1925 and 1936 John and Agnes were at Aloomba where John worked as a labourer and then a farmer. In 1943 John, labourer, and Agnes were at East Herberton. John died in Brisbane three years later.

• Married: 1901 in Charters Towers, Qld

1. Violet Elizabeth Owen b: 2 OCT 1901 in Winton, Queensland
2. Ethel Kate Owen b: 9 JAN 1904