James Turner (November 7, 1783 – March 28, 1861) was an American politician from Maryland. He served as a United States Congressional representative from Maryland from 1833 to 1837. He served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1824 to 1832 and in 1837, 1838, 1852 and 1854. He was a member of the Maryland Senate from 1856 to 1858.

James Turner was born on November 7, 1783, near Bel Air, Maryland. He completed preparatory studies at the Classic Academy of Madonna, Maryland.^[1]

Turner was captain of militia in the War of 1812. Afterwards, he moved to Parkton, Maryland, in 1811 and established a dairy farm. He served as collector of state and county taxes in 1817, and served as a justice of the peace in 1824.^[1]

Turner was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, representing Baltimore County from 1824 to 1832.^[1][2] He was elected as a Jacksonian to the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth Congresses, where he served from March 4, 1833, to March 3, 1837. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to Congress, but he again served in the House of Delegates in 1837 and 1838 and in 1852 and 1854 and also as member of the Maryland Senate from 1856 to 1858. He engaged in farming at Parkton until his death.^[1][2][3] He owned over 1,000 acres (400 ha) of land in Baltimore County.^[4]

His great-granddaughter was Margaret Turner. She married Frank D. Emack, a physician of Baltimore and Chester County, Pennsylvania.^[4]

Turner died on March 28, 1861, at his Castle Calder home near Parkton. He was interred in Bethel Cemetery near Madonna, Maryland.^[1][5]