Born in the town of Cummington, in Hampshire County Mass., on the 14th of March 1828. He entered Williams College in his native state, but after spending a few terms there, went to Union College at Schenectady, N.Y., and graduated from that institution with honor. He studied law and after completing his legal studies he pushed out into the "boundless West" to carve out for himself and name and fortune. He first stopped in Davenport, in this State, and there opened a law office; after remaining in that city for a few months he became convinced that there was a better opening in the interior of the State and he therefore came to Cedar Rapids in 1855, and with O.V. Tonsley, Esq., opened a law office. He had not been long in the county before his merits were discovered and he was elected a member of the Legislature from this Representative District. He served out his term in the Legislature with honor and distinction, and at the next election for State Senators he was a very prominent candidate for nomination for this Senatorial District.