John W. A. Sanford Sr. (August 28, 1798 – September 12, 1870) was a plantation manager, military officer, land agent, and politician from Georgia. He served as Secretary of State of Georgia and in the United States House of Representatives. His Sanford Emigrating Company was contracted to remove Creek Native Americans. He advocated for Americans to own slaves and denounced any laws protecting fugitive slaves as unconstitutional. Sanford testified he owned about 56 slaves.