John P. Deeben is a historian, government archivist, and genealogist with a passion for Civil War history.

He currently serves as a reference archivist and Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Early American Military Records at the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C., where he provides research assistance for military records from the Revolutionary War to the early twentieth century. He also frequently lectures and writes about federal records of genealogical interest. His numerous articles have appeared in such national publications as American Ancestors, National Genealogical Society Journal, NGS Magazine, and Civil War Times. He has spoken at various national conferences including the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS), the National Genealogical Society (NGS), and the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed). In 2012 he published Genealogy Tool Kit: Getting Started on Your Family History at the National Archives (National Archives Foundation).

A native of Sunbury in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, John has held a lifelong interest in local history. He has compiled five self-published books about various lines of his family roots within Northumberland County, and researched the histories of several local Lutheran churches. John holds degrees in American History from Gettysburg College and The Pennsylvania State University. He currently resides with his family in North Beach, Maryland.