James Auton (28 September 1879 – 22 May 1924) was an English rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1900s and 1910s. He played club level rugby union (RU) for West Hartlepool R.F.C., in the three-quarters, and club level rugby league (RL) for Wakefield Trinity (Heritage № 255), in the three-quarters, and later as a forward (prior to the specialist positions of; prop, hooker, second-row, loose forward), during the era of contested scrums,