James Patrick Mooney was born in Pembroke, Ontario and attended school in his home town as well as in Mattawa. He moved to Sault Ste. Marie where he was employed by the Lake Superior Corporation and organized and managed the first professional Canadian hockey team.
In the fall of 1906, Mooney relocated to Port Arthur to work in J. J. Carrick's offices as a bookkeeper and manager, eventually taking control of advertising. In 1911, Mooney established an insurance and real estate company, J. P. Mooney & Co., with partner James A. Kennedy. In 1918, Kennedy fled Port Arthur to take up rum-running, and was eventually found murdered in Ohio in 1928.
Mooney sat on Port Arthur’s Council in 1911 and 1912, and ran in the Mayoral election of 1915. His victory over the incumbent John Albert Oliver came as a surprise to most citizens. His year in office coincided with an economic collapse, and he was particularly concerned with fixing the City's finances. Mooney also created the Public Utilities Commission to reduce the amount of work done by City Council by handling issues such as telephones, electric power, and the street railway.
Mooney did not run again for Mayor in the 1916 election; however, he did run as Liberal candidate in the Provincial Election of 1919, but was defeated by Conservative Don Hogarth. He eventually ended his real estate and insurance career and opened up a manufacturers’ agent office on Pearl Street.
Born: Oct. 23, 1877 in Pembroke, Renfrew County, Ontario
Died: July 3, 1963 in Scarborough, Ontario at the age of 85
Councillor: 1911-1912
Mayor: 1915
Previous Mayor: Mayor John Albert Oliver
Next Mayor: Mayor Donald James Cowan
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