Rev. John Richard Deering was born in Lexington, Kentucky on July 2, 1842, and was pursuing his education at the Louisville University when the War Between the States broke out in 1861. Leaving school, he went to Virginia and at Manassas became a member of Company E, Claiborne Guards, of the 12th Mississippi, which was recruited at Port Gibson. He served with the company as a private, taking part in its every engagement from Yorktown to Fredericksburg. In December, 1862, he was transferred to John Hunt Morgan's scouts, with whom he served until the battle of Snow's Hill, Tennessee, where he was severely wounded. He was honorably discharged from further service on November 13, 1863. Deering was licensed to preach by the Methodist Church on November 16, 1863, and was appointed to his first circuit on December 3 of the same year. He served his church in the Kentucky Conference for over fifty years, and was superannuated in September, 1915. He also served the United Confederate Veterans organization as Chaplain of the Fourth Kentucky Brigade, as Chaplain of the Kentucky State Division under Commander Bennett H. Young, and as Chaplain General of the Army of Tennessee Department, commanded by General George P. Harrison. Deering died on June 12, 1917.