John Forsyth (Georgia)
John Forsyth Sr. (October 22, 1780 – October 21, 1841) was a 19th-century American politician from Georgia. He represented the state in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and also served as the 33rd Governor of Georgia. As a supporter of the policies of President Andrew Jackson, Forsyth was appointed secretary of state by Jackson in 1834, and continued in that role until 1841 during the presidency of Martin Van Buren.
John Forsyth | |
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13th United States Secretary of State | |
In office July 1, 1834 – March 4, 1841 | |
President | Andrew Jackson Martin Van Buren |
Preceded by | Louis McLane |
Succeeded by | Daniel Webster |
United States senator from Georgia | |
In office November 9, 1829 – June 27, 1834 | |
Preceded by | John M. Berrien |
Succeeded by | Alfred Cuthbert |
In office November 23, 1818 – February 17, 1819 | |
Preceded by | George Troup |
Succeeded by | Freeman Walker |
33rd Governor of Georgia | |
In office November 7, 1827 – November 4, 1829 | |
Preceded by | George Troup |
Succeeded by | George Gilmer |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's 2nd district | |
In office March 4, 1827 – November 7, 1827 | |
Preceded by | Constituency reestablished |
Succeeded by | Richard Henry Wilde |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's at-large district | |
In office March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1827 | |
Preceded by | Robert R. Reid |
Succeeded by | Districts established |
In office March 4, 1813 – November 23, 1818 | |
Preceded by | Seat established |
Succeeded by | Robert R. Reid |
United States Minister to Spain | |
In office May 18, 1819 – March 2, 1823 | |
President | James Monroe |
Preceded by | George W. Erving |
Succeeded by | Hugh Nelson |
12th Attorney General of Georgia | |
In office 1808–1811 | |
Governor | Jared Irwin David Mitchell |
Preceded by | John Hamil |
Succeeded by | Alexander Allen |
Personal details | |
Born | Fredericksburg, Virginia, U.S. | October 22, 1780
Died | October 21, 1841 60) Washington D.C., U.S. | (aged
Political party | Democratic-Republican (Before 1825) Democratic (1825–1841) |
Education | Princeton University (BA) |
Early life
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.[1][2] 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.
Political life
Forsyth 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.[3] He was a loyal follower of Andrew Jackson[4] and opposed John C. Calhoun in the issue of nullification. Forsyth was appointed as Secretary of State in reward for his efforts. He led the pro-removal reply to Theodore Frelinghuysen about the Indian Removal Act of 1830.[5][6] He supported slavery and was a slaveholder himself.[7]
Death and legacy
Forsyth died in Washington, D.C., and was buried in Congressional Cemetery. Forsyth County, Georgia,[8] Forsyth, Georgia,[9] and Forsyth Park[10] in Savannah are named for him.[11] He died the day before his 61st birthday.
In popular culture
- In the 1997 Steven Spielberg movie, Amistad, John Forsyth's character was played by American character actor David Paymer.[12]
Notes
- Brown, Russell K. (Fall 2008). "Killed in the Line of Duty: Marshal Robert Harriss, Jr., of Summerville, Georgia". Georgia Historical Quarterly. 92 (3). Retrieved October 25, 2016.
- Whitmire, Kelly (January 25, 2019). "What's in a name? Historian talks about where road, area names originated in Cumming, Forsyth County". Forsyth News. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
- Unger, Harlow G. (2012). John Quincy Adams. Boston: Da Capo Press. p. 292. ISBN 9780306822650. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
- Howe, Daniel Walker (2007). What Hath God Wrought : The Transformation of America, 1815–1848. Oxford University Press: New York. p. 346. ISBN 9780195078947. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
- Cheathem, Mark Renfred (2014). Andrew Jackson, Southerner. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press. p. 154. ISBN 978-0807150986. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
- Morris, Michael (Winter 2007). "Georgia and the Conversation over Indian Removal". Georgia Historical Quarterly. 91 (4). Retrieved October 25, 2016.
- Finkelman, Paul; Kennon, Donald R. (2010). In the shadow of freedom : the politics of slavery in the national capital. Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Press. p. 27. ISBN 978-0821419342. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
- "Forsyth County historical marker". Digital Library of Georgia. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
- "Forsyth historical marker". Digital Library of Georgia. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
- "Forsyth Park historical marker". Digital Library of Georgia. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
- Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 128.
- "Amistad (1997)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress website http://bioguide.congress.gov. - Duckett, Alvin Laroy (1962). John Forsyth, political tactician. Athens: University of Georgia Press. ISBN 978-0820335346. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
External links
- United States Congress. "John Forsyth (id: F000284)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- John Forsyth at Find a Grave
- Biography at Players in the Amistad Affair
- Letter, 1825 Mar. 5, Washington, [D.C. to] G[eorge] M. Troup, [Governor of Georgia] / John Forsyth
- [Letter] 1826 June 15, Sand Hills, [Georgia] / John Forsyth
- [Letter] 1827 Dec 12, Milledgeville, Georgia, [to Governor] of Tennessee, Sam[ue]l Houston / John Forsyth, Gov[ernor of Georgia]
- [Letter] 1830 Jan 24, Georgetown, District of Columbia [to] George R. Gilmer, Governor of Georgia / John Forsyth
Legal offices | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by John Hamil |
Attorney General of Georgia 1808–1811 |
Succeeded by Alexander Allen |
U.S. House of Representatives | ||
New seat | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's at-large congressional district 1813–1818 |
Succeeded by Robert R. Reid |
Preceded by Robert R. Reid |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's at-large congressional district 1823–1827 |
Districts established |
Preceded by Jonathan Russell |
Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee 1823–1827 |
Succeeded by Edward Everett |
Constituency reestablished | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's 2nd congressional district 1827 |
Succeeded by Richard Henry Wilde |
U.S. Senate | ||
Preceded by George Troup |
U.S. Senator (Class 2) from Georgia 1818–1819 Served alongside: Charles Tait |
Succeeded by Freeman Walker |
Preceded by John M. Berrien |
U.S. Senator (Class 3) from Georgia 1829–1834 Served alongside: George Troup, John King |
Succeeded by Alfred Cuthbert |
Preceded by Levi Woodbury |
Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee 1831–1832 |
Succeeded by William R. King |
Preceded by Littleton Tazewell |
Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee 1832–1833 |
Succeeded by William Wilkins |
Preceded by Samuel Smith |
Chair of the Senate Finance Committee 1832–1833 |
Succeeded by Daniel Webster |
Diplomatic posts | ||
Preceded by George W. Erving |
United States Minister to Spain 1819–1823 |
Succeeded by Hugh Nelson |
Political offices | ||
Preceded by George Troup |
Governor of Georgia 1827–1829 |
Succeeded by George Gilmer |
Preceded by Louis McLane |
United States Secretary of State 1834–1841 |
Succeeded by Daniel Webster |