For fifteen years, he worked in the theatre business as part of the partnership of Lothrop and Tolman.

[12] In 1902 Tolman ran as an Independent Republican Gloucester mayoral election.

Tolman served as a Republican[11] member of the Massachusetts House[11] representing the Twenty Second Essex District in 1909,[12][5] and again from 1914[1] to 1916.

In the 1909 House Tolman served as the Clerk of the Committee on Public Lighting.

[16] From 1910 to 1912,[11] Tolman represented the Third Essex District[12] in the Massachusetts State Senate[12] 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.