John Eaton

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For the 20th century composer, see John Eaton (composer).

John Henry Eaton

13th United States Secretary of War
In office March 9, 1829 – June 18, 1831
Preceded by	Peter Buell Porter
Succeeded by	Lewis Cass

Born	June 18, 1790 Halifax County, North Carolina, USA
Died	November 17, 1856 Washington, D.C., USA
Political party	Democratic
Profession	Lawyer, Politician

John Henry Eaton (June 18, 1790 – November 17, 1856) was an American politician from Tennessee. He was born near Scotland Neck, Halifax County, North Carolina.

He was a Democratic lawyer. He served in the U.S. Army during the War of 1812. He was a member of Tennessee House of Representatives from 1815 to 1816 and a U.S. Senator from Tennessee from 1818 to 1821 and again from 1821 to 1829. His apparent age of 28 at the time of his inauguration is notable; it contradicted the US Constitution's requirement that all Senators be over the age of 30. At the time, many people did not know their actual birth records; although it is not certain what occurred in this case. In any event, if challenged, he could have referred to previous under-aged Senators Armistead Mason or Henry Clay.

He was a close personal friend of Andrew Jackson; after Jackson became President he, along with Postmaster General, Amos Kendall, were the only members of the official Cabinet who were also a member of Jackson's informal circle of advisors often satirically called by Jackson detractors the "Kitchen Cabinet". (Apparently this group did, in fact, frequently meet in the White House kitchen.) He resigned his Senate seat in 1829 in order to take up appointment as Jackson's Secretary of War, a post in which he served from 1829 to 1831, when he resigned from the Cabinet over a scandal concerning his second wife, Peggy, that was known as the Petticoat Affair. He was later Governor of Florida Territory from 1834 to 1836 and ambassador to Spain from 1836 to 1840.

Eaton, a Freemason, died in Washington, D.C. on November 17, 1856. He was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery, Washington, D.C.

Eaton County, Michigan is named in his honor.

Preceded by: George W. Campbell	U.S. Senator (Tennessee) 1818–1829	Succeeded by: Felix Grundy
Preceded by: Peter Buell Porter	United States Secretary of War 1829–1831	Succeeded by: Joshua Jones
Preceded by: William P. Duval	Territorial Governor of Florida 1834–1836	Succeeded by: Richard K. Call
Preceded by: William T. Barry	U.S. Ambassador to Spain 1836–1840	Succeeded by: Aaron Vail