James Bowdoin III (September 22, 1752 – October 11, 1811) was an American philanthropist and statesman from Boston, Massachusetts.

He was born to James Bowdoin in Boston, and graduated from Harvard College in 1771.

[5] James devoted several years to scholarly pursuits, until he was appointed the United States Ambassador to Spain in 1804.

[6] In March 1806 he and John Armstrong of New York were named commissioners to negotiate boundaries and other issues with Spain.

[7] When Bowdoin College was founded in Maine, he gave the new school 6,000 acres (24 km2) and $5,500.