Jean Marie Missud was born in Nice, France, on April 25, 1852, the son of Joseph and Augustine (nee Barelli) Missud. He studied at the Municipal Music Conservatory and composed music at a very early age. In 1869 he enlisted in the United States Navy on board the Sabine in Nice and arrived in Charlestown, Massachusetts, in 1870. He played the clarinet in local bands, joined the Salem Brass Band in 1872, and was its leader until he joined the Salem Independent Cadets as leader of their band, the Salem Cadet Band, which he formed in 1878.

The Salem Cadet Band performed at parades, fairs, lawn and garden parties, political rallies, banquets, dances, weddings, class days and commencements, operas, at colleges, armories, yacht clubs, hotels, skating rinks, churches, halls, and parks in the local area as well as in some of the large cities in the East. The band traveled to England in 1896 where they played for Queen Victoria. On February 2, 1901, the band played for the memorial services conducted by the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company at Trinity Church, Boston, on the death of Queen Victoria. The cadets also played in Washington, D. C., at the inaugurations of Presidents Taft and Wilson. In 1920, the Salem Cadet Band and Orchestra began playing the Sunday afternoon Read Fund Philharmonic concerts at the Salem YMCA during the months of January and February. These concerts continued for twenty-one years under the direction of Jean Missud until his death in 1941. When the U. S. Marine Band visited Salem, its leader, John Philip Souza, called Jean Missud to stand to conduct the band in one of his own marches. The fiftieth anniversary of Jean Missud's leadership was observed in 1928 at the state armory.

Jean Missud died at his daughter's home in Marblehead on July 17, 1941, and was buried in Harmony Grove Cemetery, Salem. He left one son, Walden Missud of Salem, as well as his daughter, Marie Schwarz.