James Cooney notified the Council on 16 June 1870 that he would build a house in Hoddle Street. This was just four months after his marriage to Catherine Sweeney on 2 February at St Patrick’s Cathedral. They went on to have nine children: twins, Annetta and James (b.1871); Hugh Patrick (b,1874); Thomas (b.1876); Edward Augustus (b.1877); John Joseph (b.1879); Mary (b,1881); Catherine Grace (b.1883) and Francis Joseph (b.1886).

On 7 January 1891 James again notified the Council of his building intentions: an additional storey to his house. It must have been a tight fit for such a large family before these extensions.

James died in 1915 and Catherine ten years later in 1925 but many of the family continued to live at Doontallie. Annette died there in 1934 and Catherine Grace in 1944. Edward was living there in 1945. John Joseph meanwhile married but when his wife died in child birth he was unable to care for his three surviving children. The two eldest were placed in care and the youngest, Pauline, then aged two, was taken in by her aunt, Mary, and brought up at Doontallie.

Pauline married Richard Patrick Meehan and in 1952 they moved into their own home at 4 Grey Street. About the same time Richard is listed in the Rate Books as the owner or ratepayer responsible for 1121 Hoddle Street, although by then it was rented out. The family continued to own the house until 1970. 

In 1907 two of the sons, Hugh, or Hubert, and Thomas built their own houses in East Melbourne: Hugh at 100 Simpson Street, and Thomas next door at 96 Simpson Street. Hugh was sacristan at St Patrick’s Cathedral for 56 years. Francis Joseph served in WW1 and spent his later years in NSW.