James Hawkes (December 13, 1776 Petersham, Worcester County, Massachusetts – October 2, 1865 Rochester, Monroe County, New York) was an American politician from New York.
He moved with his parents to Richfield, New York in 1789. He attended the common schools, taught school in Richfield and later in Burlington. Hawkes returned to Richfield, and was Sheriff of Otsego County from 1815 to 1819. He was a member of the New York State Assembly in 1820.
Hawkes was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Seventeenth United States Congress, holding office from December 3, 1821, to March 3, 1823.
He was buried at the Mount Hope Cemetery, Rochester.