John St. John spent his early years in Indiana before relocating to California, where he engaged in frontier activities and military service. He accumulated extensive experience in public service, including a tenure in the Kansas Senate and a period as the governor of Kansas, where he notably introduced formal inaugural ceremonies. St. John was instrumental in the temperance movement, successfully advocating for a prohibition amendment in Kansas. Additionally, he played a significant role in supporting African-American communities during the Great Exodus and later championed women's suffrage.

John St. John's political identity is marked by an intriguing blend of progressive social reforms and conservative economic policies. His advocacy for prohibition and support of the temperance movement reveals a deeply moralistic approach to governance, while his involvement in establishing the Kansas Freedmen's Relief Association during the Great Exodus shows an unexpected alignment with African-American civil rights. St. John's later support for women's suffrage further complicates his ideological profile, suggesting a nuanced and multifaceted political philosophy.