John Cowenhoven Van Cleve was born on 16 May 1749 at New Brunswick, Middlesex County, New Jersey. He was the son of
Benjamin Van Cleve and
Rachel Cowenhoven. John Cowenhoven Van Cleve married
Catherine James Benham, daughter of
Peter Benham and
Anne James, on 1 August 1771 at New Brunswick, Middlesex County, New Jersey. John Cowenhoven Van Cleve married
Catherine James Benham, daughter of
Peter Benham and
Anne James, on 2 August 1772 at New Brunswick, Middlesex County, New Jersey. John Cowenhoven Van Cleve served in the New Jersey Militia during the Revolutionary War and fought at the Battle of Germantown under Gen. David Forman. He was a Captain of a company of N. J. Soldiers. Circa 1777. He and
Catherine James Benham resided at at Washington County, Pennsylvania, circa 1787. John Cowenhoven Van Cleve and
Catherine James Benham resided at at arrived at, Losantville, Ohio, on 3 January 1790. John Cowenhoven Van Cleve died on 1 June 1791 at Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio, at age 42; killed by Indians while at work on an out lot. He was ambushed and stabbed five times by an Indian during a raid. He was calped and his body left lying in the field where it was found by his son, Benjamin, who arrived with a rescue party. Two sons and a daughter of John and Catherine Van Cleve died in infancy.