John Howard Payne (June 9, 1791 – April 10, 1852) was an American actor, poet, playwright, and author, renowned for his nearly two-decade-long theatrical career and success in London. He is best remembered for creating the song "Home! Sweet Home!" in 1822, which gained immense popularity in the United States and the English-speaking world, particularly during the American Civil War when it resonated with troops on both sides.

Born in New York City, Payne was one of nine children. His family moved to Boston, Massachusetts, where his father led a school, and they also spent time in East Hampton, New York, at his grandfather's house. Despite his father's attempts to steer him away from the theater, Payne's passion for drama was evident from a young age. He published a theater criticism journal, The Thespian Mirror, at 14, and wrote his first play, "Julia: or the Wanderer," shortly thereafter.

Payne's theatrical promise caught the attention of William Coleman, editor of the New-York Evening Post, who helped secure a sponsor for Payne's college education. He attended Union College in Schenectady, New York, where he started a college paper called the Pastime.

In 1832, Payne returned to the United States and engaged with the Cherokee in the Southeast, collecting material on their culture and society. Although his theory linking the Cherokee to the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel was later disproved, his work provided valuable insights for scholars.

In 1842, Payne was appointed as the American Consul to Tunis, a position he held for nearly a decade until his death in 1852. Initially buried in Tunis, his remains were returned to the United States in 1883 and interred in Washington, D.C., thanks to philanthropist W. W. Corcoran. Payne was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.