Robert Henry Mooney was born at Wingham. Ontario, on
August 10, 1873, the son of Alexander Mooney and Susan Orr. The
following year he came to Manitoba with his family. They lived at
Katrime near Gladstone, until 1883 when they came to the Woodnorth area.
He was educated at Virden. He taught school there for three years, and
farmed. On 4 April 1901, he married Margaret Kirk, daughter of George
Kirk of Kenora, Ontario. He served as a Councillor of the Rural
Municipality of Pipestone from 1911 to 1922. He was active in the
community on school, church, and recreation issues and was on the Pool
elevator
boards and other projects.
Legislative Career
He was first elected to the Manitoba assembly in the 1922 provincial
election for the constituency of Virden. Running as a candidate of the
United Farmers of Manitoba, he defeated Liberal incumbent George
Clingan by 677 votes. The United Farmers of Manitoba won the election,
and governed as the "Progressive Party"; Mooney was returned by
acclamation under this label in the 1927 election.
The Progressives and Liberals merged prior to the 1932 provincial
election. Again running as a candidate of the governing coalition,
Mooney defeated Conservative candidate G.H. Heenan by 432 votes in this
election. In the 1936 election, he defeated Conservative O.S. Ross by
205 votes.
Mooney was returned by acclamation in the 1941 and 1949 elections, and
defeated a candidate of the CCF in 1945.
Adapted from Trails Along the Pipestone, page 743
Adapted from Memorable Manitobans / The Manitoba Historical Society
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