James H. Dooley
| James H. Dooley | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
January 17, 1841 Richmond, Virginia |
| Died | November 16, 1922 (aged 81) Richmond, Virginia |
| Residence | Maymont; Swannanoa |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Georgetown University |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Known for | Organizing the Richmond and Allegheny Railroad; building Maymont and Swannanoa; philanthropy |
James Henry Dooley (January 17, 1841 – November 16, 1922) was a Virginia lawyer, business leader, politician, and philanthropist based in Richmond during Reconstruction and the Gilded Age. He was a key figure in construction of the Richmond and Alleghany Railroad, and represented Richmond in the Virginia House of Delegates.
James Henry Dooley was the son of Irish immigrants John and Sarah Dooley. He was born in Richmond, Virginia, one of nine children. His father, John Dooley, Sr. was a successful hat manufacturer. The Dooley family was prominent in the community and the parish of St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church.
Dooley attended Georgetown College (now Georgetown University) and became the first student to rank at the head of his class during each of his four years, graduating in 1860. Soon after, James and his brother John enlisted in the Confederate Army, joining their father's unit, the First Virginia Infantry. James Dooley was wounded at the Battle of Williamsburg during the Peninsula Campaign in May, 1862. He was captured and confined for a short time. Upon his release, Dooley worked in the Confederate Ordnance Department in Richmond. After the war, Dooley completed a Master of Arts degree at Georgetown, then returned to Richmond.
During the postwar years, as Richmond began to rebuild its business district, Dooley began a legal career. Upon his father's death in 1868, James Dooley started using his father's honorific "Major," although he himself never attained that rank. The following year, Dooley married Sarah ("Sallie") O. May of Staunton, Virginia in Augusta County, although she remained an Episcopalian. Dooley was elected to the Virginia General Assembly and served from 1871 to 1877.
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