John Wales (July 31, 1783 – December 3, 1863) was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, in New Castle County, Delaware.

He was admitted to the Connecticut Bar in 1801 and began practicing law in New Haven, and later, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Wales served as the Secretary of State for Delaware from 1845 to 1849, and was elected as a Whig to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy left when John M. Clayton resigned.

When Garrett was tried in 1848 for aiding the escape of a slave family, Wales served as his lawyer.

In this case he was completing the existing term, the vacancy caused by the resignation of John M. Clayton.