James Edward McVann (December 24, 1891 – July 31, 1970) was an American attorney and politician who served as mayor of Peabody, Massachusetts and was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

He was educated in the Peabody public schools and graduated from Northeastern College.

[1] He studied law in the office of Frank E. Farnham and was admitted to the bar in 1916.

On January 19, 1919, McVann married Helen G. Regan, a Salem, Massachusetts public school teacher.

[5] In 1936, he beat leather worker Joseph B. O'Keefe by 58 votes to win a second term.