James Wilson (April 9, 1825 – August 8, 1867) was a United States representative from Indiana.

After he turned to Crawfordsville in 1847, Wilson worked in the law office of Tilghman Howard (later the namesake of one of his sons), and he was admitted to the bar in 1848.

Wilson became actively involved in politics in the mid-1850s, and he was a member of the newly formed Republican Party.

He was honorably discharged from the military on December 6, 1865, with the rank of brevet lieutenant colonel.

In 1866, President Andrew Johnson appointed Wilson to the position of Minister Resident to Venezuela.