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Thomas J. Geary
Portrait byC. M. Bell,c. 1891–1894
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromCalifornia's1st district
In office December 9, 1890 – March 3, 1895
Preceded by	John J. De Haven
Succeeded by	John All Barham
Personal details
Born	(1854-01-18)January 18, 1854 Boston, Massachusetts
Died	July 6, 1929(1929-07-06) (aged 75) Santa Rosa, California
Resting place	Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery
Party	Democratic Party
Occupation	Attorney

Thomas J. Geary (January 18, 1854 – July 6, 1929) was an American lawyer and politician who served three terms as aU.S. representative fromCalifornia from 1890 to 1895.

Born inBoston, Massachusetts, Geary moved with his parents toSan Francisco, California, in April 1863.He attended the public schools.He studied law at St. Ignatius College.He wasadmitted to the bar in 1877 and commenced practice inPetaluma, California, moving toSanta Rosa, California, in 1882.He served as district attorney ofSonoma County, California, in 1883 and 1884.He resumed the practice of law.

Geary was elected as aDemocrat to theFifty-first Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation ofJohn J. De Haven.He was reelected to theFifty-second andFifty-third Congresses and served from December 9, 1890, to March 3, 1895.He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1894 to theFifty-fourth Congress.

Representative Geary and wrote and sponsored theGeary Act, aUnited States law passed by Congress on May 5, 1892, that extended theChinese Exclusion Act of 1882. It added onerous new requirements, such as requiring every Chinese resident of the United States to carry a resident permit at all times. Failure to carry the permit was punishable bydeportation or a year ofhard labor. In addition, Chinese citizens were not allowed to bear witness in court, and could not receive bail inhabeas corpus proceedings.

After losing his bid for reelection, Geary resumed his practice of law. He moved toNome, Alaska, in 1900 in junction with theGold Rush going on there at the time, toSan Francisco, California, in 1902, and returned toSanta Rosa, California, in 1903, continuing the practice of law. He retired from active pursuits in 1923.

He died inSanta Rosa, California, July 6, 1929.He was interred in theSanta Rosa Rural Cemetery.

• John P. Irish of Oakland, opponent of Geary

• United States Congress."Thomas J. Geary (id: G000113)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

 This article incorporatespublic domain material fromBiographical Directory of the United States Congress.Federal government of the United States.

• 1854 births
• 1929 deaths
• Democratic Party United States representatives from California
• 19th-century United States representatives

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