Background
Pendergast was born in Gallipolis, Ohio.
Alderman Democratic politician City Boss
Pendergast was born in Gallipolis, Ohio.
He was the elder brother of Thomas J. Pendergast and Michael J. Pendergast. His family moved to Saint Joseph, Missouri in 1859. He moved to Kansas City in 1876.
After winning a horse race on a long shot called "Climax" he opened a saloon named for the horse in the West Bottoms.
In 1884 he was elected as a delegate to represent the sixth ward in the Democratic City Convention. In 1887 he became the Democratic committeeman from the first ward.
He was elected alderman in 1892. Jim"s faction was called the "goats" because they wanted to climb out of the river bottoms while Shannon"s faction was the "rabbits" because they hailed to the river bottom power base.
After his death a statue of him was placed in Mulkey Square overlooking the West Bottoms.
lieutenant has since been moved to Case Park on Quality Hill.
