Born in Baltimore, Maryland, and there grew to manhood and received a good education. He studied law, was admitted to the bar and was very successful in the practice of his profession. Finally abandoning the practice of law he engaged in merchandising with success and later in life turned his attention to general farming. He removed from Maryland to Jefferson county, Iowa, in the early history of the latter country and located at the town of Fairfield, where he became well established and well known. He took an active part in public matters, became influential in politics and was a member of the Legislature, 1856. His wife, Eunice Neil, was born in Maine, and was of Scotch-Irish descent.