James E. Tolman

{{Infobox officeholder

| image = James E. Tolman.png

| imagesize =

| caption = Tolman c. 1915

| name = James E. Tolman

| birth_date = November 8, 1867

| birth_place = Gloucester, Massachusetts

| death_date = February 20, 1956 (aged 88)

| death_place = Gloucester, Massachusetts

| restingplace =

| nationality =

| website =

| occupation = Lawyer
Theatre owner
Grocery and provision business

| office = Member of the
Massachusetts State Senate
from the 3rd Essex district

| term_start = 1910

| term_end = 1911

| predecessor = James F. Shaw

| successor = George Schofield

| majority =

| office1 = Member of the
Massachusetts House of Representatives
from the 21st Essex district

| constituency1 = 22nd Essex district

| term_start1 = 1909

| term_end1 = 1909

| predecessor1 = John A. Stoddart

| successor1 = George A. Ricker

| constituency2 = 22nd Essex district

| term_start2 = 1914

| term_end2 = 1916

| predecessor2 = Charles D. Smith

| successor2 = James MacFarlane Lyle

| constituency3 = 21st Essex district

| term_start3 = 1917

| term_end3 = 1918

| predecessor3 = Harry C. Foster

| successor3 = John Thomas

| office5 = Mayor of
Gloucester, Massachusetts

| term_start5 = 1903

| term_end5 = January 2, 1905

| predecessor5 = William W. French

| successor5 = George E. MacDonald

| party = Republican

| residence =

| alma_mater = Boston University School of Law

| religion =

| footnotes = {{Citation| title =Who's Who in State Politics, 1917 | page =315 | publisher=Practical Politics | location = Boston, MA | year = 1917}}{{Citation| title =Who's Who in State Politics, 1917 | page =232 | publisher=Practical Politics | location = Boston, MA | year = 1917}}{{Citation| title =Who's Who in State Politics, 1911 | page =267 | publisher=Practical Politics | location = Boston, MA | year = 1911}}{{Citation| title =Who's Who in State Politics, 1912 | page = 85 | publisher=Practical Politics | location = Boston, MA | year = 1912}}{{Citation |last = Bridgman|first=Arthur Milnor| title = A Souvenir of Massachusetts Legislators, Volume XVIII |page =145 | publisher = A. M. Bridgman | location = Stoughton, Massachusetts | year = 1909}}{{Citation| title =Who's Who in State Politics, 1916 | page =176 | publisher=Practical Politics | location = Boston, MA | year = 1916}}{{Citation |last = Bridgman|first=Arthur Milnor| title = A Souvenir of Massachusetts Legislators, Volume XVIII |page = 129 | publisher = A. M. Bridgman | location = Stoughton, Massachusetts | year = 1909}}{{Citation |last = Bridgman|first=Arthur Milnor| title = A Souvenir of Massachusetts Legislators, Volume XVII |page =149 | publisher = A. M. Bridgman | location = Stoughton, Massachusetts | year = 1908}}{{Citation| last =Howard|first =Richard T. |title =Public Officials of Massachusetts, 1919 | page = 296 | publisher=The Boston Review | location = Boston, MA | year = 1919}}{{cite news|title=James E. Tolman: Former Mayor of Gloucester|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=February 21, 1956}}

}}

James E. Tolman (November 8, 1867 – February 21, 1956) was an American lawyer, and politician who served as the mayor of Gloucester, Massachusetts, and as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

Early life and education

Tolman was born on November 8, 1867, in Gloucester, Massachusetts.{{Citation| title =Who's Who in State Politics, 1915 | page = 323 | publisher=Practical Politics | location = Boston, MA | year = 1915}} He attended Gloucester public schools and in 1909 graduated from Boston University School of Law.

Business career

Tolman was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 1910. For fifteen years, he worked in the theatre business as part of the partnership of Lothrop and Tolman. Tolman also worked in the grocery and provision business.

Political career

=Gloucester, Massachusetts Common Council=

From 1899 to 1901 Tolman served on the Gloucester, Massachusetts Common Council. For two years, in 1899 and in 1901, Tolman was the President of the Common Council.

=Mayor of Gloucester=

In 1902 Tolman ran as an Independent Republican Gloucester mayoral election. On December 2, 1902{{Citation| title =Massachusetts Municipal Elections, The Sacred Heart Review, Volume 28, Number 23 | page = 3 | publisher=Review Publishing Company | location = Boston, MA | date = December 6, 1902}} Tolman was elected as the mayor of Gloucester.

=Massachusetts House of Representatives=

Tolman served as a Republican member of the Massachusetts House representing the Twenty Second Essex District in 1909,{{Citation |last = Bridgman|first=Arthur Milnor| title = A Souvenir of Massachusetts Legislators, Volume XVIII |page =145 | publisher = A. M. Bridgman | location = Stoughton, Massachusetts | year = 1909}} and again from 1914 to 1916. From 1917 to 1918{{Citation| title =Who's Who in State Politics, 1918 | page =311 | publisher=Practical Politics | location = Boston, MA | year = 1916}} Tolman represented the Twenty First Essex District in the House.

In the 1909 House Tolman served as the Clerk of the Committee on Public Lighting. In the 1914 House Tolman served on the Committee on Legal Affairs and on the Committee on Public Lighting.{{Citation| title =Who's Who in State Politics, 1914 | page =316 | publisher=Practical Politics | location = Boston, MA | year = 1914}} In the 1915 House Tolman served as the Chairman of the Committee on Public Lighting.

In the 1916 House Tolman served on the committee on legal affairs and as the Chairman of the committee on public lighting.{{Citation| title =Who's Who in State Politics, 1916 | page =317 | publisher=Practical Politics | location = Boston, MA | year = 1916}}

=Massachusetts Senate=

From 1910 to 1912, Tolman represented the Third Essex District in the Massachusetts State Senate{{Citation| title =Who's Who in State Politics, 1911 | page = 62 | publisher=Practical Politics | location = Boston, MA | year = 1911}}

In the 1910 Senate Tolman served as the Chairman of the Committee of Third Reading, and on the Committees on Legal Affairs, Mercantile Affairs and Constitutional Amendments. In the 1911 Senate Tolman served as the Chairman of the Committees on Legal Affairs and of Public Lighting, and on the Committee on Mercantile Affairs.

= Later life =

Tolman died on February 21, 1956, at his home in Gloucester. He was 88 years old.{{cite news|title=James E. Tolman: Former Mayor of Gloucester|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=February 21, 1956}}