James Semple (January 5, 1798 – December 20, 1866) was a United States Senator from Illinois.Born in Green County, Kentucky, he had some private education as well as public schooling before enlisting in the Army in 1814 and being an ensign in the Kentucky Militia in 1816. He moved to Edwardsville, Illinois, in 1818 and to Chariton, Missouri, in 1819.