Born in Pennsylvania in 1856. He was a graduate of Princeton, and a man of fine literary attainments, a ready writer and fair speaker. He read law with Lea & Beaman and became an excellent jurist, and a good counselor, but disliked trial work, and would not engage therein unless in cases of necessity. He was a member of the house from this county of the Twentieth general assembly, and county attorney of this county for two terms and discharged the duties of these offices faithfully and efficiently. The public had implicit faith in his integrity, and he was elected as a democrat when that party was in the minority.