James Waddel (or Waddell, July 1739 – September 17, 1805) was an Irish American Presbyterian preacher from Virginia noted for his eloquence. He was a founding trustee of Liberty Hall (later Washington and Lee University), when it was made into a college in 1776. The family name has had various spellings and pronunciations. Waddel's descendants have typically pronounced "Waddell" with a stress on the final syllable and have spelled it with two Ls.