James Simonds (December 10, 1735 – February 20, 1831) was a merchant, judge and political figure in New Brunswick.

He was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts, the son of Nathan Simonds and Sarah Hazen, and moved to the mouth of the Saint John River, then part of Nova Scotia, in 1762.

With partners including William Hazen, Simonds began trading in fish, furs, lime and lumber products with Massachusetts.

Simonds served as magistrate, probate judge, registrar of deeds and deputy customs collector for Sunbury County.

In 1816, fourteen years after he retired from politics, he was named magistrate.