John F. Forward Jr. (November 18, 1876 – March 28, 1938) was an American businessman and politician from California.

Forward came to San Diego, California, with his family in 1887, and graduated from the public schools.

Forward was recognized as an expert on land titles and wrote an article on the "History of Land Titles in San Diego County", which appeared in Heilbron's History of San Diego County (1936).

Forward married Alberta Fairbanks July 29, 1901, and they had one daughter, Flora.

Forward served as a director of the 1915 Panama–California Exposition in San Diego and as city park commissioner until he resigned in 1926.