John Screven was born on September 18, 1827, the son of James P. Screven and Hannah Georgia Bryan. He attended Franklin College (but did not graduate) and studied law. He was admitted to the bar in Savannah in 1849. That same year, he married Mary Footman (1827-1864). In 1852, Screven was appointed a justice of the Inferior Court, a position he held until 1866. He became the president of the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad in 1859. Screven was captain of the Savannah volunteer guards and had a short military career as a Major of Artillery in 1861, commanding the 18th Georgia Battery. In 1864, Screven received a commission as Lieutenant-Colonel for the defense of Savannah. Screven married his second wife, Mary Eleanor Brown (1844-1883) in 1865. He served two terms as Savannah's mayor, the first beginning in 1869. He was elected a trustee of the University of Georgia in 1889. Screven died on January 9, 1900.
From the description of John Screven military orders, 1864. (Georgia Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 86108124
