James Jay Mapes (May 29, 1806 – January 10, 1866) was an American chemist, inventor, and educator, mostly known for his achievements in scientific agriculture.

From the age of 11, for a few years, he studied at the classical school of Timothy Clowes at Hempstead, Long Island, while living with renowned English reformer William Cobbett.

[2] Later Mapes became known as an analytical chemist, and his analyses of beer and wines, made at requests of the senate of New York and the temperance societies, were regarded as standard experiments.

His interest began as an attempt to disprove the "imbecility" [6] of the concept, but he became convinced that "spirits can and do communicate with mortals, and in all cases evince a desire to elevate and advance those they commune with.

They had at least four children: This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Biographical and genealogical history of the city of Newark and Essex County, New Jersey.