John Basil Lamar (November 5, 1812 – September 15, 1862) was an American politician, planter and lawyer.
Lamar was born in Milledgeville, Georgia. He attended the Franklin College, the founding of the University of Georgia (UGA) in Athens, beginning in 1827 but did not graduate. In 1830, moved to a plantation near Macon, Georgia, and farmed.
In 1837 and 1838, Lamar served in the Georgia House of Representatives. He was elected in 1842 to represent Georgia in the United States House of Representatives during the 28th Congress; however, his service was brief as he resigned and left office on July 29, 1843, after taking office only months before on March 4, 1843.
Lamar returned to his agricultural pursuits. From 1855 to 1858, he served on the UGA board of trustees and served at the state convention which passed the Ordinance of Secession in 1861. Lamar served an aide to Confederate States Army General Howell Cobb during the American Civil War and was wounded during Battle of Crampton's Gap Maryland and died within a day on September 15, 1862. He was buried in Macon's Rose Hill Cemetery.
| United States House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Thomas Butler King |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's At-large congressional district March 4, 1843 - July 29, 1843. |
Succeeded by Absalom Harris Chappell |