John Kemble Tarbox
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 7th district
In office March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877
Preceded by	Ebenezer R. Hoar
Succeeded by	Benjamin Butler
13th Insurance Commissioner of Massachusetts[1]
In office April 21, 1883[1] – May 28, 1887[1]
Preceded by	Julius L. Clarke[1]
Succeeded by	George S. Merrill[1]
16th Mayor of Lawrence, Massachusetts
In office 1873–1874
Preceded by	S. B. W. Davis
Succeeded by	Robert H. Tewksbury
Member of the Massachusetts Senate
In office 1872
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
In office 1868 1870
Personal details
Born	May 6, 1838[2][3] Methuen, Massachusetts[2][3][4]
Died	May 28, 1887 (aged 49)[5][4] Boston, Massachusetts[2][5]
Resting place	Bellevue Cemetery, Lawrence, Massachusetts
Political party	Democratic[2][3]
Spouse(s)	Sarah Ann Harmon, m. May 1859.[6] died 1874;[2] Agnes Belle Mullen, m. 1882.[2][3]
Alma mater	Franklin Academy, North Andover, Massachusetts
Profession	Lawyer
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America Union
Branch/service	Union Army
Years of service	1861 – August 28, 1863[2][3]
Rank	First Lieutenant[2][3]
Unit	4th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment Army of the Potomac[5]
Commands	Company B 4th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment[2][3]
Battles/wars	American Civil War

John Kemble Tarbox (May 6, 1838 – May 28, 1887) was a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts.

Tarbox was born in that part of Methuen, Massachusetts that became incorporated into Lawrence, Massachusetts,^[2] Tarbox pursued classical studies, engaged in newspaper work, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1860 and practiced law.

In May 1859 Tarbox married Sarah Ann Harmon.^[6] She died in 1874.^[2][3]

During the Civil War he served in the Union Army as a first lieutenant in Company B of the Fourth Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. He was mustered out with his regiment on August 28, 1863.^[2][3]

For a time after his military service Tarbox was the political editor of the Lawrence Sentinel.^[2][3]

Tarbox was a delegate at the 1864 Democratic National Convention,^[2][3] and an alternate delegate at the 1868 Democratic National Convention.^[2][3] Tarbox served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1868, 1870, and 1871, in the Massachusetts State Senate in 1872, and as the sixteenth Mayor of Lawrence from 1873 to 1874.

Tarbox was elected as a Democrat to the Forty-fourth Congress (March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1876 to the Forty-fifth Congress.

Tarbox was the City solicitor of Lawrence, Massachusetts, in 1882 and 1883. From April 21, 1883 to May 28, 1887,^[1] Tarbox was the Massachusetts State Insurance Commissioner.^[1]

Tarbox died in Boston, Massachusetts, on May 28, 1887 and was interred in Bellevue Cemetery, Lawrence, Massachusetts.

• 1868 Massachusetts legislature
• 1872 Massachusetts legislature

• United States Congress. "John K. Tarbox (id: T000041)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved on 2008-02-15
• Harmon, Artemas Canfield:, The Harmon Genealogy, Comprising all Branches in New England, p. 120, (1920).
• Singer, Isidore:, The Annual Cyclopedia of Insurance in the United States., 1893–1894, p. 301, (1894).

• New York Times Obituary HARD WORK KILLED HIM.; A FAITHFUL PUBLIC SERVANT OF MASSACHUSETTS.

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress