John MacNider was born on July 29, 1822, in Montreal, Quebec.

In 1829, together with his brother William, John inherited the Seigneury of Métis from John MacNider (1760-1829), their father's uncle. Their father Adam Lymburner MacNider (1788-1840) administered it until his death. At some point, the Seigneury was divided into two equal parts, which came to be known as Grand-Métis and Métis-sur-Mer or Petit Métis; John taking the former. In 1851, he ran into financial difficulties and sold Grand-Métis to the merchant brothers Archibald and David Ferguson of Montreal. He moved to New Richmond, Wisconsin where he was a farmer. He also served as the Justice of the Peace.

In 1845, he married Jane Abigail Johnson (1824–1875) and in 1877, he remarried Frances Helen Southworth (1837–1912). He died on October 23, 1882, in New Richmond, St. Croix County, Wisconsin.