Mooney, Chase C. (Chase Curran), 1913-

Indiana University professor of history.

After receiving his Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University in 1939, Chase Curran Mooney began his teaching career at Brenau College in 1939. In 1946 he joined the history faculty at Indiana University, where he remained until his death in 1973. As a distinguished member of the faculty, Mooney participated in numerous history department committees and successfully worked to bring the Journal of American History to IU in 1963. With research interests focusing upon African Americans, the U.S. Civil War, and the history of the American South, he produced numerous book reviews, articles, and two major monographs, Slavery in Tennessee in 1957 and William H. Crawford, 1772-1834 which was released posthumously in 1974.

Born in Davidson County, Tennessee, on September 30, 1913, Chase Curran Mooney began his college education at Vanderbilt University in 1935 where he received his B.A. (magna cum laude). He continued on to receive both his M.A. in 1936 and his Ph.D. in History in 1939. During this period he held several scholarships and teaching fellowships which began his career in education.

In 1939 Mooney accepted his first teaching position at Brenau College, in Gainesville, Georgia where he and his wife, the former Loraine Binkley, stayed until 1942. Near the beginning of World War II he relocated to Washington to be the Senior Historian of the Army Air Force, which over a three year period produced several monographs on the history of the Air Force and a Special Citation from Army Air Force for his outstanding contributions. Furthermore, during the early 1940s he also held several brief teaching positions at Vanderbilt University, Southern Methodist University, and the University of Mississippi.

Accepting a position at Indiana University in 1946, the Mooneys with their two children Barbara and Wayne moved to Bloomington, Indiana where Mooney taught large classes in general United States history as well as more specialized courses relating to the history of the South and the Civil War era. In 1961 Mooney was promoted to the rank of Professor. During his tenure at Indiana University Mooney was involved in, and often chaired, numerous committees on scholarships, student relations and curriculum. He also held several leadership positions within the department of history such as on the department Executive Committee and as the chair of numerous student Ph.D. Committees. In 1963 as the associate editor of the prestigious Journal of American History he helped to bring the publication to Indiana University.

Mooney’s research interests focused upon the history of slavery and civil rights in the Old South, resulting in the publication of two major monographs including in 1957 Slavery in Tennessee in which he reviewed the relationship between slavery and agriculture in that state. He received in 1959 a Guggenheim Fellowship for the second book, William H. Crawford 1772-1834, a biography of the early nineteenth-century Georgia politician which was published posthumously in 1974. His record also includes the publication of numerous other book reviews, papers and articles as well as the presentation of several lectures before the Mississippi Valley Historical Association, Southern Historical Association, and the Tennessee Historical Society.

Chase Mooney died on April 29, 1973 at the age of 59. He was survived by his wife Loraine as well as their two children Barbara and Wayne.