John Forsyth
13th United States Secretary of State
In office July 1, 1834 – March 3, 1841
President	Andrew Jackson Martin Van Buren
Preceded by	Louis McLane
Succeeded by	Daniel Webster
Personal details
Born	October 22, 1780(1780-10-22) Fredericksburg, Virginia, U.S.
Died	October 21, 1841(1841-10-21) (aged 60) Washington D.C., U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Clara Meigs Forsyth
Alma mater	College of New Jersey
Profession	Politician, Lawyer

John Forsyth, Sr. (October 22, 1780 – October 21, 1841) was a 19th-century American politician from Georgia.

Forsyth was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia. His father Robert Forsyth was the first U.S. Marshal to be killed in the line of duty in 1794. He was an attorney who graduated from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) in 1799. He married Clara Meigs, daughter of Josiah Meigs, in 1801 or 1802. One of his sons, John Forsyth, Jr., later became a newspaper editor. He served in the United States House of Representatives (1813–1818 and 1823–1827), the United States Senate (1818–1819 and 1829–1834), and as the 33rd Governor of Georgia (1827–1829). He was the United States Secretary of State from 1834 until 1841. In this role he led the government's response to the Amistad case. He was a loyal follower of Andrew Jackson and opposed John C. Calhoun in the issue of nullification. Forsyth was appointed as Secretary of State in reward for his efforts. Led the pro-removal reply to Theodore Frelinghuysen about the Indian Removal Act of 1830. He supported slavery and was a slaveholder himself. He died in Washington, D.C., and was buried in Congressional Cemetery. Forsyth County, Georgia is named for him. He died the day before his 61st birthday.

John Forsyth in popular culture

• In the 1997 Steven Spielberg movie, Amistad, John Forsyth's character was played by American character actor David Paymer.

United States Senators from Georgia Class 2 Few • Jackson • Walton • Tattnall • Baldwin • Jones • Crawford • Bulloch • Bibb • Troup • Forsyth • Walker • Ware • Cobb • Prince • Troup • King • Lumpkin • Berrien • Charlton • Toombs • H. Miller • Norwood • B. Hill • Barrow • A. Colquitt • Walsh • Bacon • West • Hardwick • Harris • Cohen • Russell • Gambrell • Nunn • Cleland • Chambliss Class 3 Gunn • Jackson • Milledge • Tait • Elliott • Berrien • Forsyth • Cuthbert • W. Colquitt • Johnson • Dawson • Iverson • J. Hill • Gordon • Brown • Gordon • Clay • Terrell • Smith • Watson • Felton • George • Talmadge • Mattingly • Fowler • Coverdell • Z. Miller • Isakson

Governors and Lieutenant Governors of Georgia   Governors Council Presidents (1775–1776) Ewen · Walton · Ewen Presidents (1776–1777) Bulloch · Gwinnett Governors (since 1777) Treutlen · Houstoun · Glascock · Cuthbert · Wereat · Walton · Howly · Wells · Heard · Davies · Brownson · Martin · Hall · Houstoun · Elbert · Telfair · Mathews · Handley · Walton · Telfair · Mathews · Irwin · Jackson · Emanuel · Tattnall · Milledge · Irwin · Mitchell · Early · Mitchell · Rabun · Talbot · Clark · Troup · Forsyth · Gilmer · Lumpkin · Schley · Gilmer · McDonald · Crawford · Towns · Cobb · H. Johnson · J.E. Brown · J. Johnson · Jenkins · Ruger · Bullock · Conley · J. Smith · Colquitt · Stephens · Boynton · McDaniel · Gordon · Northen · Atkinson · Candler · Terrell · H. Smith · J.M. Brown · H. Smith · Slaton · J.M. Brown · Slaton · N. Harris · Dorsey · Hardwick · Walker · Hardman · Russell · E. Talmadge · Rivers · E. Talmadge · Arnall · Thompson · H. Talmadge · Griffin · Vandiver · Sanders · Maddox · Carter · Busbee · J.F. Harris · Miller · Barnes · Perdue · Deal   Lieutenant Governors Thompson • Griffin • Vandiver • Byrd • Geer • Smith • Maddox • Miller • Howard • Taylor • Cagle

United States Secretary of State Secretary of Foreign Affairs 1781–1789 R. Livingston • Jay Secretary of State 1789–present Jefferson • Randolph • Pickering • J. Marshall • Madison • Smith • Monroe • Adams • Clay • Van Buren • E. Livingston • McLane • Forsyth • Webster • Upshur • Calhoun • Buchanan • Clayton • Webster • Everett • Marcy • Cass • Black • Seward • Washburne • Fish • Evarts • Blaine • Frelinghuysen • Bayard • Blaine • Foster • Gresham • Olney • Sherman • Day • Hay • Root • Bacon • Knox • Bryan • Lansing • Colby • Hughes • Kellogg • Stimson • Hull • Stettinius • Byrnes • G Marshall • Acheson • Dulles • Herter • Rusk • Rogers • Kissinger • Vance • Muskie • Haig • Shultz • Baker • Eagleburger • Christopher • Albright • Powell • Rice • Clinton

Cabinet of President Andrew Jackson (1829–1837) Vice President John C. Calhoun (1829–1832) • None (1832–1833) • Martin Van Buren (1833–1837) Secretary of State Martin Van Buren (1829–1831) • Edward Livingston (1831–1833) • Louis McLane (1833–1834) • John Forsyth (1834–1837) Secretary of the Treasury Samuel D. Ingham (1829–1831) • Louis McLane (1831–1833) • William J. Duane (1833) • Roger B. Taney (1833–1834) • Levi Woodbury (1834–1837) Secretary of War John Eaton (1829–1831) • Lewis Cass (1831–1836) Attorney General John M. Berrien (1829–1831) • Roger B. Taney (1831–1833) • Benjamin F. Butler (1833–1837) Postmaster General William T. Barry (1829–1835) • Amos Kendall (1835–1837) Secretary of the Navy John Branch (1829–1831) • Levi Woodbury (1831–1834) • Mahlon Dickerson (1834–1837)

Cabinet of President Martin Van Buren (1837–1841) Vice President Richard M. Johnson (1837–1841) Secretary of State John Forsyth (1837–1841) Secretary of the Treasury Levi Woodbury (1837–1841) Secretary of War Joel R. Poinsett (1837–1841) Attorney General Benjamin F. Butler (1837–1838) • Felix Grundy (1838–1840) • Henry D. Gilpin (1837–1841) Postmaster General Amos Kendall (1837–1840) • John M. Niles (1840–1841) Secretary of the Navy Mahlon Dickerson (1837–1838) • James K. Paulding (1838–1841)

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.