Source: A History of Central and Western Texas, The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago and New York, 1911, Volume 1, Page 274-5

JOHN N. WINTERS was born in Perry county, Indiana, and was reared in Spencer county of that state. In 1876 he came to Texas and his life since that time has been almost a part of the wonderful progress and development of the central and north central part of this state - a pioneer of pioneers. After spending a short time at Sulphur Springs he in 1880 came to central Texas to locate lands for himself and for his father-in-law, Mr. Bivens, and he established his headquarters in what is now Runnels county, although that particular division had not then been organized. Upon the organization of the county the old town of Runnels, now extinct, was made its seat of government and it was located four miles north of the present flourishing city of Ballinger, which later became the county seat.
Mr. Winters remained in Runnels county for fourteen years, from 1880 until 1894, and during that time he was the means of founding the town of Winters, now a prosperous little city situated in the midst of what is undoubtedly the richest agricultural region of central Texas. He had purchased several thousand acres of land in that section of Runnelscounty, and in 1892 he located a small colony of Germans on a part of that tract, and they in 1893 started a small settlement, with stores, etc., and named it Winters in honor of the owner of the land and the promoter of the settlement. It has since grown into a wealthy and progressive town, having advanced more rapidly since the Abilene & Southern Railroad was completed to that point in 1909. When Mr. Winters first located in this part of the state Runnels county formed a part of the far frontier of Texas and of the great free and open cattle range. Farming was not then thought of, and even the enclosing of pastures with wire fence was not begun until about 1882 or 1883. He bought land as low as from eighty cents to a dollar and a half an acre. Mr. Winters is remembered by all the older settled residents of Runnels county as having been one of its most progressive and public spirited citizens and as responsible in a large degree for much of its early growth.
He came to Fort Worth in 1894, and this city has been his home since that time, and he has long been one of its prominent real estate owners and operators, making a specialty of country property, farming and ranch lands. Mrs. Winters, was before marriage Alice Bivins, and their five children are Jet, Olver, Ona, Ivy and Una