John Weiss Forney
John Weiss Forney | |
|---|---|
| 5th Secretary of the United States Senate | |
| In office July 15, 1861 – June 4, 1868 | |
| Preceded by | Asbury Dickins |
| Succeeded by | George Congdon Gorham |
| Clerk of the United States House of Representatives | |
| In office February 3, 1860 – July 3, 1861 | |
| Preceded by | James C. Allen |
| Succeeded by | Emerson Etheridge |
| In office December 1, 1851 – February 2, 1856 | |
| Preceded by | Richard M. Young |
| Succeeded by | William Cullom |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 30, 1817 Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | December 9, 1881 (aged 64) |
| Resting place | West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Reitzer |
| Children | James Forney Tillie May Forney |
| Signature | |
John Weiss Forney (30 September 1817 – 9 December 1881), also known as John Wien Forney, was an American newspaper publisher and politician. He was the owner of several newspapers including the Intelligencer and Journal, the Pennsylvanian, The Philadelphia Press, the Washington Daily Union, the Sunday Morning Chronicle, and the Progress.
He helped James Buchanan's presidential campaign and served as a Democratic clerk of the United States House of Representatives from 1851 to 1856. He broke with Buchanan over his pro-slavery stance, switched to the Republican Party and served as clerk of the United States House of Representatives as a Republican from 1860 to 1861. He served as the first Republican secretary of the United States Senate from 1861 to 1868.