James Henry Van Alen (August 17, 1819 – July 22, 1886) was a brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

[1] After the presidential election of 1876, President Ulysses S. Grant appointed Van Alen, a Republican, as one of the visiting statesmen to Louisiana.

[11] The Van Alens had a home in Newport, Rhode Island called " The Grange " where James lived year-round.

[12] Together, they were the parents of one surviving child, a son:[1] On a voyage returning from England with three grandchildren,[3] Van Alen either jumped or fell off the RMS Umbria on July 22, 1886;[14] his body was not recovered.

The New-York papers were eagerly read for the latest news regarding the affair, which was the sole topic of discussion in society and by the local residents, who knew and respected the deceased.