John Charles Tarsney (November 7, 1845 – September 4, 1920) was an American politician from Missouri and an associate justice of the Oklahoma Territory Supreme Court (1896-1899).

During the Battle of Gettysburg he was captured and imprisoned at Belle Isle (Richmond, Virginia), later being moved to Andersonville Prison and Camp Lawton.

He escaped from Camp Lawton by temporarily taking the identity of a recently deceased soldier.

[3] After being discharged from military service, Tarsney attended high school in Hudson, Michigan and graduated in 1867.

[5] In 1888, Tarsney was elected as a Democrat from Missouri's 5th congressional district to the 51st United States Congress.

He presented credentials as a member-elect to the 54th Congress and served from March 4, 1895, to February 27, 1896, when he was succeeded by Robert T. Van Horn, who had contested his election.

Custom House, Ellis Island, James Farley Post Office, Cleveland Federal Building, U.S. Post Office and Courthouse in Baltimore, Maryland, and U.S. Customhouse in San Francisco, California (which are all now on the National Register of Historic Places) among others.