James Anderson (born November 17, 1678 in Scotland) was an early Presbyterian minister who was ordained by the Irvine Presbytery in 1708 and sailed for America in 1709, where he became one of the pioneering ministers of the Presbyterian Church in the colonies. After arriving in Virginia he eventually moved north and was received by the Presbytery of Philadelphia, where he served as pastor and helped establish Presbyterian worship and organization in areas including New Castle, Delaware and surrounding congregations. Anderson continued his ministry among early American Presbyterians until his death in 1740, and his life and letters are preserved in historical compilations such as James Anderson (1857) and Five Letters From James Anderson (1716–1723) that document the work of early colonial clergy.