Born at Mount Vernon, Knox county, Ohio. He read law with John C. McNulty, Clerk of the House of Representatives. He came to Lee county, Iowa, in 1844, and was subsequently Prosecuting Attorney for the county for several years, and also represented that county in the legislature. He afterwards moved to Boone county, where he was appointed Judge of the Fifth Judicial District, and was afterwards elected. He died in April, 1862, at Boonesboro.