James Van Hoose

James Alexander Van Hoose (born May 15, 1852 in Tuscaloosa - died 1936) was an Episcopal priest and the 10th Mayor of Birmingham, in office from 1894 to 1896.

He was the son of James M. and Susan Alexander Van Hoose. He was assigned by Bishop Wilmer to serve a group of churches in North Alabama as deacon in 1876. By the end of that year he was listed as the Rector of St John's Church in Elyton. He was involved in the creation of St Mary's-on-the-Highlands Episcopal Church and St Mark's Episcopal Church in Southside and was the founder of St Mark's Academic and Industrial School in 1892.

In 1886 Van Hoose was one of the original investors in the East Lake Land Company, developers of the East Lake resort and residential subdivision. A year later he helped organize the Birmingham Warehouse & Elevator Company. Van Hoose married the former Virginia Frances McLester and had five children. He joined his wife's family in running the McLester & Van Hoose wholesale grocery on Morris Avenue.

Van Hoose was elected mayor in 1894 as an independent candidate. He served one two-year term, during which he proposed a canal through Birmingham connecting Lake Guntersville to the Black Warrior River. He also proposed a reformatory and work farm at Lane Park. Van Hoose was succeeded by F. V. Evans as mayor.

Van Hoose's home on Avenue I in Southside was damaged by the 1901 tornado. In 1907 Van Hoose was one of the organizers of the Mobile Basin and Tennessee River Association which lobbied for improvements to water transport in Alabama.

References

• Davies, Alexander Van Hoose ( ) Biography of the Reverend and businessman James Alexander Van Hoose, 1852-1936.
• Smith, Barbara ( ) James Alexander Van Hoose and the Birmingham municipal election of 1894.