He served as a Private (GSI#60240) in the Confederate Army. He and his brother Oswell Bones Eve, enlisted together on 14 May 1861 in E Company of the 8th Infantry Regiment of Georgia. He served until 2 Oct 1861. After his brother Oswell’s death on 20 August 1861 (from wounds he received at First Manassas), John apparently became a partner in McKown Eve & Co., machinists, which provided a wide variety of hardware and material to the Confederate Army. In the 1880 Census is a farmer living in Etowah, Floyd County, Georgia.
"John C. Eve was born near the Cottage. He used to tell of his father's strict probity. On one occasion his Aunt Adams told him he might take a peach from the basket on the table in the hall. His father saw him take it and followed him out of doors. Not knowing that John had had permission to take the peach he was beginning to whip him when Aunt Adams came out and slapped her brother's face for striking the boy who ever after thought her one of the greatest women in the world." ®1893