John Faubus was born August 25, 1759, in Frederick County, Virginia, which became Dunmore County in 1772 and Shenandoah County in 1778. John was the son of Robert Faubus (also spelled Forbus, Forbis and Forbes) and grandson to George E. Forbush, born in 1690 in Backwater Creek, Potomac River, Virginia.
His family moved to Burke County, North Carolina, where young Faubus enlisted in the Continental Army in 1780. He first served under Capt. (later Lt. Col.) Robert Holmes of McDowell's Regiment. He fought at the Battle of Kings Mountain (October 7, 1780) and the Battle of Cowpens (January 17, 1781.)
In June 1781 he enlisted in the Continental Line as a Sergeant. He served under Capt. William Clarke and joined the South Carolina troops of Cols. Hampton and Middleton. Faubus (or Forbis) was placed under Capt. Read and Lt. William Campbell of Col. Charles Middleton's South Carolina regiment and fought in a skirmish against Lord Rawdon at Juniper Springs. He later was in the battle of Eutaw Springs (September 8, 1781) where he received a bayonet wound in the leg.
Several years later, the entire Faubus family moved to Laurel County, Kentucky. He was granted a pension on his application executed November 4, 1833. John Faubus died on January 30, 1854, in his 96th year. His widow Mary was allowed pension on her application executed February 11, 1854, when she was aged 70 years. Mary was granted 160 acres of bounty land in 1855.
About 1786, the Faubus family moved to Washington County, Tennessee. His sons enlisted in the War of 1812 and fought under General Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans. The Faubus family eventually moved from Laurel County to Arkansas in 1868.