Born in Mannheim, Herkimer County, New York, February 21, 1823. When a young man he was a student in Cazenovia Seminary, New York, and at Poultney, Vermont. In 1849 he went to California sailing around Cape Horn, and spent two years in the gold fields. He then went to Australia where he remained two years. In 1854 he came to Mitchell county, Iowa, being one of the first pioneers here. In 1855 he married Miss Esther D. Cray of Knox, New York. He served Mitchell County in many. public offices. For several years he was the county judge, and was county auditor, county surveyor and a member of the House of Representatives from Mitchell and Howard Counties in the Thirteenth General Assembly He taught the first school in Mitchell county. He lived in Mitchell County until 1892, when he moved to Chicago, where he made his home.