John Winchester was [[Sam]] and [[Dean]]'s father, and husband to [[Mary Winchester]].
John was born in Normal, Illinois to Millie and [[Henry Winchester]]. Henry was a member of the [[Men of Letters]], and he tells Dean that he wouldve inducted who intended to induct John into the order when he was old enough. When However, when John he was four, his father disappeared. John thought Henry had simply left, not knowing that his father had fled through time to escape the grasp of the [[Knight of Hell]], [[Abaddon]], who later killed him in the 21st century. This left John witha with a deep restnment resentment - in Dean's words "he hated the man". <ref>[[8.12 As Time Goes By]]</ref>
[[File:John&Henry.jpg|thumb|right|350px|A photo of a young John and [[Henry Winchester]].]]
Nothing is known of John's mother Millie. He John described himself as "a mechanic from a family of mechanics," and there is someone in his life who an acquaintance refers to as "his old man"<ref name="four03">[[4.03 In the Beginning]]</ref> so it . There may be assumed that either his mother remarried, or that there were have been mechanics on his mother's side. Alternatively he may have gone to live with relatives , and possibly Millie re-partnered or John was fostered or adopted.
After returning to [[Lawrence, Kansas]] from the Vietnam War where he served as a marine, John worked as a mechanic and was eventually co-owner (with [[Mike Guenther]]) of a garage.
John and [[Mary Campbell]] did not initially get along when they met. However [[Heaven]] was interested in bringing together the lines of [[hunter]]s and [[Men of Letters]], and so a [[cherub]] intervened and they fell in love.<ref>[[5.14 My Bloody Valentine]]</ref> In 1973, At John went to a car yard to purchase a beige VW van but was persuaded by [[Dean]], who had come from the future to save him, to get the [[Impala]] instead.<ref>[[4.03 In the Beginning]]</ref> Soon after John was about to propose to Mary when [[Azazel]] killed him. and Mary made a deal with Azazel for John's lifemarriage was not always happy, in exchange for a promise to allow Azazel into her and at least once he moved out of the family home in ten years' time.<ref name="four03five16" /> They married in Reno on August 19, 1975, at Mary's instigation. <ref>[[125.01 Keep Calm and Carry On16 Dark Side of the Moon]]</ref>
In 1973, At John was unaware of Mary's life as went to a hunter. He did learn of this when Sam and Dean return car yard to 1978 protect their parents from the purchase a beige VW van but was persuaded by [[angelDean]] , who had come from the future to save him, to get the [[AnnaImpala]],instead.<ref>[[54.13 The Song Remains 03 In the SameBeginning]]</ref> but his memory Soon after John was wiped of this information by about to propose to Mary when [[MichaelAzazel]]killed him. Mary made a deal with Azazel for John's life, who possessed John in order exchange for a promise to kill the angel allow Azazel into her home in ten years' time.<ref name="four03" /> They married in Reno on August 19, 1975, at Mary's instigation. <ref>[[Anna12.01 Keep Calm and Carry On]].</ref>
John and was unaware of Mary's marriage was not always happy, life as a hunter. He did learn of this when Sam and at least once he moved out of Dean return to 1978 protect their parents from the family home.[[angel]] [[Anna]],<ref name="five16">[[5.16 Dark Side of 13 The Song Remains the MoonSame]]</ref>. John consented to possession by Michael, thinking it would help save Mary, but it allows Michael to kill the angel [[Anna]]. Afterwards John and Mary's memories are wiped of the encounter with the angels and Sam and Dean by [[Michael]].
When [[Mary Winchester|Mary]] was murdered by Azazel in 1983, John raised their two sons, Sam and Dean, alone. Through his efforts to solve He becomes obsessed with solving the mystery of Mary's death, John crossed which created a unique childhood for his two young sonsand revenge. John moved his family from town to town following leads on supernatural creatures (telling Sam that he was a traveling salesman), often leaving the boys for days or even weeks<ref name="four19">Starting with meeting [[4.19 Jump the SharkMissouri Mosely]]</ref> to fend for themselves.<ref name="three08">[[3.08 A Very Supernatural Christmas]]</ref><ref name="four13">[[4.13 After School Special]]</ref> Though he never settled anywhere for very long, John did establish a [[John's lock-up|lock-up]] where he stored weapons (including landmines and grenades), [[curse boxes]], and mementos from Sam and Dean's childhoodlearns about the world of the supernatural.
In 1990, unbeknownst John moved his family from town to town following leads on supernatural creatures (telling Sam and Deanthat he was a traveling salesman), John fathered a child with nurse often leaving the boys for days or even weeks<ref name="four19">[[Kate Milligan4.19 Jump the Shark]]</ref> to fend for themselves. Though <ref name="three08">[[Adam Milligan3.08 A Very Supernatural Christmas]] didn't meet John until he was 12 years old, John had sporadic contact with Adam from 2002 until John's death in 2006. While John raised Sam and Dean in a very militant and non-conventional environment, it seemed he used his time with Adam to do more traditional father-son activities such as going to baseball games that he either couldn't or wouldn't do with his older two sons.</ref><ref name="four19four13">[[4.19 Jump the Shark13 After School Special]]</ref>Though he never settled anywhere for very long, John did establish a [[John's lock-up|lock-up]] where he stored weapons (including landmines and grenades), [[curse boxes]], and mementos from Sam and Dean's childhood.
John cut off contact started training Dean with a shotgun when he is 6 or 7. Sam after Sam chose to leave the family and is unaware of hunting and attend Stanford, although believes John is a salesman until he reads [[John's Journal]] when he regularly visited Palo Alto to check up on himis eight.<refname="three08">[[13.08 BugsA Very Supernatural Christmas]]</ref> In 2005, John got a lead on the [[demon]] that was responsible for Mary's death, and he left Dean in order to pursue it.
John met Bobby Singer who advised him about hunting, and also, at least by 1989, was looking after Sam and Dean while John was on the road.<ref>[[7.10 Death's Door]]</ref>In 1991, he gave an 8-year-old Sam an amulet as a Christmas present to give to John, which he eventually gave to Dean.<ref>[[3.08 A Very Supernatural Christmas]]</ref>. In 1990, unbeknownst to Sam and Dean, John is injured on a hunt in Windom, Minnesota, and goes to the hospital where he meets [[Kate Milligan]]. He gets her pregnant, although he doesn't meet his son - [[Adam Milligan]] - until he was 12 years old, John had sporadic contact with Adam from 2002 until John's death in 2006. While John raised Sam and Dean in a very militant and non-conventional environment, it seemed he used his time with Adam to do more traditional father-son activities such as going to baseball games that he either couldn't or wouldn't do with his older two sons.<ref name="four19">[[4.19 Jump the Shark]]</ref> After Sam chose to leave the family and hunting and attend Stanford, John cut off contact with him, although he regularly visited Palo Alto to check up on him.<ref>[[1.08 Bugs]]</ref> Her and Dean continued hunting together, with Dean going on hunts on his own as he got older. Around this time John and Bobby have a falling out - -- Dean comments that the last time Bobby saw John he nearly "filled him with buckshot."<ref name="one22">[[1.22 Devil's Trap]]</ref> In 2005, John got a lead on the [[demon]] that was responsible for Mary's death, and he left Dean in order to pursue it. He tries to keep both Sam and Dean at a distance in order to protect them. He eventually reunited with Sam and Dean in order to obtain [[the Colt]]. As they got closer to [[the Yellow-Eyed Demon]], John was kidnapped by the [[demon]] [[Meg]], and possessed by [[Azazel]]. However Sam wasn't able to kill his father with the Colt in order to kill the demon.<ref>[[1.22 Devil's Trap]]</ref>
Following a car crash caused by a [[Trucker|demon]], John offered his own life and the Colt to [[Azazel]] to save Dean. John revealed that he has known the "truth" about Sam all along. Before he died, John warned Dean that he may have to kill Sam if he couldn't save him.<ref>[[2.01 In My Time of Dying]]</ref>
John Winchester died and went to [[Hell]], where over the next ten months (equivalent of a hundred years) he was tortured by [[Alastair]]. Alastair later told Dean that John never "broke" -- i.e. that is never gave in to Alastair's temptation to protect himself by torturing others. Dean, by contrast, gave in after three months (equivalent of thirty years) of torture, thus breaking the first of [[the 66 Seals]] to free [[Lucifer]]: that required that a righteous man shedding blood in Hell.<ref>[[4.16 On the Head of a Pin ]]</ref>
In 2007, a [[Devil's Gate in Wyoming|Gate to Hell]] was opened by [[Jake Talley]] and John's spirit escaped, helping Dean to kill [[Azazel]].<ref>[[2.22 All Hell Breaks Loose: Part Two]]</ref> John had a quiet moment with his sons after Dean killed Azazel before his spirit passed on to the afterlife.