James McBride (February 9, 1802 – December 18, 1875) was an American politician, educator, and patriarch of a political family in the state of Oregon.

James McBride was born near present-day Nashville, Tennessee, on February 9, 1802.

He was educated in Nashville and then moved to Missouri where he married Mahala Miller in Springfield on June 20, 1830.

[1] In 1863, McBride was appointed by President Abraham Lincoln as Minister to the Kingdom of Hawaii.

[3] During his time in that position he began the negotiations with Russia for the purchase of Alaska, and then later was involved in settling the Beresford Incident with Great Britain.