John Hugh McCune was born in 1857 in Tandragee, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. His father was Samuel McCune (1821-1871). His mother Lucinda Francis lived from 1825 to 1902. His mother was 23 when she married Samuel at Ballymore, Armagh on 5th July 1847. Lucinda died on the 11th of December 1902 in Tandragie. Her death was reported in the Belfast News letters on 13th of December 1902. She was to be buried in the family plot. Tandragee comes from the Gaelic Toin re Gaoith, meaning 'backside to the wind'. It was built on a hillside overlooking the Cusher River. It was originally the seat of the O 'Hanlon clan. It was granted to Oliver St. John during the Plantation of Ulster. Thomas Sinton, an Irish industrialist and magnate, set up a linen mill there in the 1880s. He was a Quaker and born in Tandragee House, Tandragee.
John was one of nine children born to Samuel and Lucinda. He had five brothers, William, Samuel, Robert, Thomas and Frederick, and three sisters, Isabella, Elizabeth and Lucinda. Both mother and son were Presbyterians. His mother was a loan fund proprietor, i .e. someone who offered private loans, and John was an artist.
In 1901 he was living with his mum and a servant, 45 year old Mary McGinnis at 20 Market Square, Tandragie. In 1911 when John was 54 he was lodging at Caledonia House, John Street, Isle of Wight. This was a boarding house run by Janet Laws from Ashwell, Hertfordshire who was living there with one daughter and one son. John was living on private means with two other boarders.
John was living at 46 Rowlands Road when he died aged 73. He left £2 ,731 3 shillings and 6 pence. The burial was certified by Jacob Cregan under the Burial Law Amendment Act.
The Last Will and Testament for John Hugh McCune was dated 11th January 1929