John Melvin Burgoyne was born February 26, 1900 in Montpelier, the son of Edward Lorenzo and Jacobina Katrina Cederlund Burgoyne. He was a member of the Montpelier High School class of 1918, however he did not graduate. He married Helen Rose Hamblin June 25, 1926 in Salt Lake City. He graduated from the Utah Agricultural College in Engineering. He taught school in Kanab, Utah for 33 years and served as principal. He was active in the LDS Church. He died January 25, 1984 in Salt Lake City and was buried in the Kanab City Cemetery.