John Forsyth (politician)

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John Forsyth
13th United States Secretary of State
In office July 1, 1834 – March 3, 1841
Preceded by	Louis McLane
Succeeded by	Daniel Webster
Born	October 22, 1780(1780-10-22) Fredericksburg, Virginia, U.S.
Died	October 21, 1841 (aged 60) Washington D.C., U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Clara Meigs Forsyth
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 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 from 1823 to 1827), the United States Senate (1818-1819 from 1829 to 1834), and as the 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.

[edit] John Forsyth in popular culture

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

[edit] References

• John Forsyth (politician) at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

[edit] External links

• John Forsyth at Find A Grave
• Biography at Players in the Amistad Affair

v • d • e 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

v • d • e Governors of Georgia Bulloch • Gwinnett • Treutlen • Houstoun • Wereat • Walton • Howly • 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

v • d • e United States Secretaries of State Jefferson • Randolph • Pickering • J Marshall • Madison • Smith • Monroe • Adams • Clay • Van Buren • 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

This article incorporates facts obtained from the public domain Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

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