John Goodnow (June 29, 1858 – December 7, 1907) was a businessman and American diplomat who served for eight years as United States Consul General in Shanghai.

[1] In 1897, Goodnow was nominated for the position of United States Consul-General in Shanghai, China by Republican President William McKinley.

Goodnow resigned from the foreign service in 1905 following an investigation into misconduct in office.

The alleged misconduct included permitting the transfer of Chinese ships to the US flag under a fraudulent bill of sale; irregularity of accounts; improper threat of legal proceedings and breaking and entering into premises of a US Citizen.

[4][5][6][7] Goodnow died of apoplexy in Málaga, Spain on December 7, 1897.