John Cunyus Hodges was born on March 15, 1892 in Cotton Valley, Louisiana. He is the son of Floyd Crawford and Addie Reynolds Hodges. He attended Meridian College for his Bachelor's degree (1911) and earned his Masters from Tulane University in 1912. Hodges started his teaching career at Northwestern University, where he taught from 1913-1916. Hodges obtained his PhD from Harvard University in 1918. After Harvard, he started his teaching English at the University of Tennessee in 1918, and remained in this position until he was promoted to department chairman in 1937, where he served until 1962. Starting in 1959, he was also involved in the Library Development Program.

Hodges also wrote a number of books, including William Congreve, the Man (1941), Harbrace Handbook of Reading (1943), English Manual for Teachers (1946), Harbrace College Handbook (1946), Harbrace College Workbook (1952), College English the First Year (1952), The Library of William Congreve (1955), William Congreve: Letters and Documents (1964), and Harbrace Writing Course (1967).

Hodges married twice: once to Lillian Nelson (January 24, 1914) and once to Cornelia Smartt Hendley (August 15, 1952). He died in July 7, 1967.