US Congressman. Too young to enlist as his four brothers had, as a teenager Tarsney worked as a locomotive fireman and on road building crews in Tennessee during the Civil War. Afterwards, he returned to Michigan, where he settled in Saginaw and was employed as a sawmill engineer and later a steamboat and marine engineer. He then attended the University of Michigan Law School, graduating in 1872 and becoming an attorney in East Saginaw. Tarsney served as Justice of the Peace from 1873 to 1875, and City Attorney from 1875 to 1878. In 1880 he ran unsuccessfully for Congress, and in 1884 he served as a delegate to the Democratic national convention. In 1884 he was the successful Democratic nominee for the US House of Representatives and served two terms, 1885 to 1889. He ran unsuccessfully for reelection in 1888. In 1893 Tarsney moved to Detroit, where he continued to practice law and served as the city's Corporation Counsel from 1900 to 1908. His brother John C. Tarsney served as a Congressman from Missouri from 1889 to 1895 and a federal Judge in Oklahoma Territory from 1896 to 1899.
US Congressman. Too young to enlist as his four brothers had, as a teenager Tarsney worked as a locomotive fireman and on road building crews in Tennessee during the Civil War. Afterwards, he returned to Michigan, where he settled in Saginaw and was employed as a sawmill engineer and later a steamboat and marine engineer. He then attended the University of Michigan Law School, graduating in 1872 and becoming an attorney in East Saginaw. Tarsney served as Justice of the Peace from 1873 to 1875, and City Attorney from 1875 to 1878. In 1880 he ran unsuccessfully for Congress, and in 1884 he served as a delegate to the Democratic national convention. In 1884 he was the successful Democratic nominee for the US House of Representatives and served two terms, 1885 to 1889. He ran unsuccessfully for reelection in 1888. In 1893 Tarsney moved to Detroit, where he continued to practice law and served as the city's Corporation Counsel from 1900 to 1908. His brother John C. Tarsney served as a Congressman from Missouri from 1889 to 1895 and a federal Judge in Oklahoma Territory from 1896 to 1899.
Bio by: Bill McKern
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