James Joseph Dolan, also known as Jimmy, was born in Loughrea, County Galway, Ireland on May 2, 1848. His parents were Patrick Dolan and Bridget Cory. After moving to the United States with his family at the age of five, he attended a Catholic school for boys in New York. Dolan then joined the Army in New York as a drummer boy, serving for two years before reenlisting and subsequently being stationed in Kansas and Fort Stanton in New Mexico. Throughout his service, Dolan held numerous roles, including serving as a post trader. It was during this time that he became acquainted with Lawrence G. Murphy, another individual of Irish descent.

Just after his discharge from the Army in 1869, Dolan began working at Murphy’s store as a clerk. Come after Emil Fritz’s passing, Dolan was promoted to partner status with Murphy. While the business thrived, Captain James Randlett voiced concerns about supposed price gouging and scamming of the local Mescalero and Apache tribes. The contracts to the Mescalero Agency were headed by Dolan who acted also as Indian Agent on occasion. Dolan, in a heated moment, attempted to shoot Captain Randlett, at Fort Stanton, although no charges were ever filed. Following the incident, Army officials ordered Murphy and his associates to leave the Fort. However, Murphy managed to retain his government contracts and established a new business outside Fort Stanton in nearby Lincoln.
In a short period of time, The Murphy and Dolan Mercantile and Banking Company secured a significant share of the county’s trade market, exerting control over prices, generating substantial revenue from their merchandise, and wielding influence over various aspects of the county’s economy. The group of merchants, in concert with their allies, which included members of the local law enforcement, came to be known as “The House.” Their notable achievements were visible in the grandiose construction of their new two-story store, located at the western end of the town.
Many small farmers in Lincoln County were dissatisfied with Murphy and his associates due to their high-priced goods and low prices for trades. Additionally, Dolan and his group obtained much of their supplies through illegal practices, such as over-counting Mescalero and exploiting government contracts. Murphy’s health deteriorated in 1878 and he was unable to continue managing the business, leaving it in the hands of Dolan and his new partner, John Riley, an Irish Catholic who purchased a stake.
During the spring of 1877, Mr. Dolan was arrested by Sheriff William Brady for the alleged shooting death of one of his employees, Mr. Hilario Jaramillo, 20 years of age. Mr. Dolan claimed that he acted in self-defense and that he was attacked with a knife by Mr. Jaramillo. Local testimony corroborated Mr. Dolan’s claim and subsequently, the charges were dismissed by the court. Post the trial, Mr. Dolan developed a close friendship with Sheriff Brady, who played an integral role in the ensuing events.
In 1877, John Tunstall arrived in the area with the intention of competing against Dolan, which led to a series of troubles. The old Dolan store was bought by Tunstall through ex-Murphy lawyer Alex Mcsween and partner John Chisum to convert it into a Bank and Store. Tunstall was highly regarded by the residents of the Rio Bonito Valley, who were often exploited for their hard-earned resources.
Enraged by the development of a rival business, Dolan attempted to provoke Tunstall into a gunfight. However, Tunstall refused to use violence himself, but soon recruited a number of skilled cowboys including Billy the Kid, which later became known as the Regulators. As for Dolan, he also hired a good number of hands, hiring the Seven Rivers warriors and Jesse Evans and his crew. In February, 1878, Tunstall was ambushed and killed, allegedly on the orders of Dolan. The murder sparked the Lincoln County War. Men from both sides were being ambushed and killed throughout the county, including Sheriff Brady. It would take the lives of about 20 men.

Upon the conclusion of the war, a five-day battle erupted in the town of Lincoln. Tragically, the Dolan men set fire to McSween’s home which resulted in the unarmed lawyer’s death. Regrettably, no one was held accountable for the murder of McSween or Tunstall. Following the violence, Dolan lost ownership of his business, which eventually went bankrupt. As a result, the big store on the west end of town went into foreclosure and was taken over by the state and repurposed as a courthouse and jail. In a notable subsequent event, Billy the Kid narrowly avoided the death penalty by overpowering both guards, including Bob Olinger, who was a member of Dolan’s Seven Rivers gang.
Following the tragic murder of Tunstall, in 1879, Mcsween’s widow sought legal support to investigate and pursue justice against Dolan and others involved in the incident. Attorney Huston Chapman was hired by Mcsween’s widow and worked tirelessly to secure amnesty for the Regulators. Sadly, Chapman was murdered on February 18, 1879, one year after Tunstall’s death. While some accounts suggest that Evans and Billy Campbell committed the crime and fled the territory, Dolan was charged with the murder, although his involvement was never explicitly proven. Notably, Dolan was also possibly indicted for Tunstall’s murder but was later acquitted, representing the concerning level of influence and connections he had in high places, such as the Santa Fe Ring.

Mr. James Dolan wedded Caroline Fritz, niece of Emil Fritz, during the summer of 1879. The couple was blessed with four children within a span of three years, from 1880 to 1883. The litigation between Susan Mcsween and Caroline Fritz concerning the insurance policy maintained by her deceased husband concluded with Fritz and Dolan gaining ownership of the former Tunstall store and ranch. In 1882, Dolan, along with William Rynerson, John Lemon, and Numa Reynolds, invested efforts in revamping the Tunstall store and ranch into the Feliz Land and Cattle Company.
Dolan reopened the Tunstall store in 1883 and built a family home across the street from it, now known as the Dolan House, a bed and breakfast. Dolan was elected as Lincoln County treasurer in 1884 through 1888. In 1886 Dolan had another child Bessie, and in the weeks that followed, Dolan’s wife, Caroline died. In 1888, he was elected to the territorial senate representing Lincoln, Doña Ana, Sierra and Grant counties.
Sometime in February 1888, Dolan entered into a new marriage with Maria Eva Whitlock, who had been the family’s nanny for a long time. During the same year, he sold the former Tunstall store to Rosenthal and Company. Additionally, he served as a receiver of the United States land office in Las Cruces from 1889 to 1891. 

In 1892, Dolan and Billy Mathews were appointed as directors of the Penasco Reservoir and Irrigation Company, which unfortunately wasn’t successful. On the Rio Feliz ranch owned by John Tunstall, Dolan built a house which he completed in 1894. Unfortunately, Jimmy Dolan passed away in this same house due to cerebral hemorrhaging and consumption at 0830 hours on February 26th, 1898. He was then buried at the Fritz family cemetery located between Hondo and Lincoln. Frank Coe called Dolans cause of death a brutal case of “delirium tremens”