Johan Bjerkén, beloved by his family, was born on November 7, 1725, in Stockholm. He studied at Uppsala University from September 15, 1741, to September 15, 1743. In 1743, he was appointed as an extraordinary Chancellor at the Foreign Expedition. He served as the Secretary in the Norwegian Border Regulation from March 1, 1749, to March 1, 1754. In 1754, he was appointed as the Chancellor of the Past Expedition and served as the Protocol Secretary from June 11, 1754, to December 21, 1758. He then served as the Protocol Secretary from December 14, 1762, to December 14, 1767. In 1767, he was appointed as the Proxy in the Iron Office and served as the Expedition Secretary from December 20, 1769, to December 23, 1770. In 1770, he was appointed as the Chancellor and served as the Proxy in the Iron Office again from March 23, 1772, to March 23, 1775. In 1775, he was appointed as the Representative of Norway.

Johan Bjerkén passed away on August 28, 1780, at Lövsta Sätesgård in Frösunda parish, Stockholm County. He was unmarried at the time of his death. He was buried in Klara Church, page 16/9. In 1773, his brothers were adopted and introduced into the nobility.