John Milton Read (November 3, 1842 – March 9, 1881) was an American journalist, Democratic politician, and Wisconsin pioneer.

He was a member of the Wisconsin State Senate, representing Brown, Door, and Kewaunee counties during the 1874 and 1875 sessions.

Born in Louisville, Kentucky, he moved with his parents to Saint Louis, Missouri, as an infant and then to Milwaukee, Wisconsin Territory, in 1847.

[1] He volunteered for service in the Union Army during the first year of the war, and was enrolled in Company E of the 14th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment.

The 14th Wisconsin Infantry mustered into federal service in January 1862, and left the state in March, moving to the Union concentration in western Tennessee.

The following March, the regiment took part in the Red River campaign and their colonel, Lyman M. Ward was made brigade commander.

[1][4] In 1880, he was elected without opposition to the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Kewaunee district, but he resigned before the start of the 1881 legislative session due to poor health.