John F. Mims (November 10, 1815 – April 30, 1856) was the sixth mayor of Atlanta and agent of the Georgia Railroad & Banking Company.

Career

In the late 1840s he founded a flour mill with Lemuel Grant, Richard Peters and his younger brother William Peters but it didn't do well with competition from Mark A. Cooper's mill in north Georgia but was still important for the diversification of the city's enterprises. The wood-fired steam engine was used for the Confederate Powder Works in Augusta, Georgia. As mayor he built the first city hall and commissioned the first city map, produced by Edward A. Vincent in 1853. An illness forced Mims to resign in October 1853 and a special election was held two weeks later. His term was completed by William Markham, who went on to serve as mayor for another term.

Death

John Mims died on April 30, 1856 and is buried at Oakland Cemetery.