James J. Callanan was a cooper

Cooper (profession)

Traditionally, a cooper is someone who makes wooden staved vessels of a conical form, of greater length than breadth, bound together with hoops and possessing flat ends or heads...

, merchant and political figure in Newfoundland. He represented St. John's West

St. John's West

St. John's West was a federal electoral district in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1949 to 2003.This riding was created in 1949 when Newfoundland joined the Canadian Confederation....

 in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly

Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly

The Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly is one of two components of the General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the other being the Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Newfoundland and Labrador General Assembly meets in the Confederation Building at St...

 from 1882 to 1889 and from 1897 to 1900 as a Liberal.

He was born in St. John's

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...

. In 1877, he established a retail and wholesale grocery business. Callanan was president of the local Mechanics' Institute

Mechanics' Institutes

Historically, Mechanics' Institutes were educational establishments formed to provide adult education, particularly in technical subjects, to working men...

from 1876 to 1890. He ran unsuccessfully in 1889 as a member of the Reform party and then ran unsuccessfully as a Conservative in 1893. Callanan served in the city council for St. John's from 1894 to 1898. He died in St. John's in 1900.