Born in Pennsylvania. A resident of Ottawa, LaSalle County, Illinois when he enlisted in the 1st Illinois Light Artillery for three years at Ottawa, Illinois. Mustered in as Quartermaster Sergeant of Battery C on 31 Dec 1861. Commissioned as Junior 2nd Lieutenant in 1863, and later commissioned as Junior 1st Lieutenant. On 18 Dec 1864, before Savannah, Georgia, he was appointed Ordnance Officer of the XIV Corps of the Army of Georgia. Mustered out at Springfield, Sangamon County, Illinois. Elected in 1888 to serve in the House of Representatives of the last Washington Territorial Assembly representing the 5th District, Spokane County. He was also elected to serve as a member of the Washington State House of Representatives representing Spokane County in the 1st State Legislature (1889-1890). A member of Custer Post No. 6 of Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington. Died in Tacoma, Washington. He is buried in a G.A.R. section of the cemetery.