John Ridge (1802-1839) was the son of Cherokee leader Major Ridge and a political leader in his own right. Edcuated in the United States, Ridge became an advocate for Cherokee removal to the west rather than holding out in the east. He signed the Treaty of Echota in 1835, which in turn justified forced removal by the U.S. government during the Trail of Tears. John Ridge and his father were both assassinated for their indirect participation in the Trail of Tears.