After graduating in 1878, he taught in a country school, and later began studying mathematics at University of Wisconsin–Madison.

[5] He taught for a few years at Tulane University, before being appointed as professor of applied mathematics there in 1887.

[6] While at Colorado, he received his doctorate from Tulane in 1894, and married Elizabeth G. Edwards in 1890 and had one son.

[4] In addition to his numerous books, he also contributed highly recognized and popular historical articles to the American Mathematical Monthly.

[6] His last work was a revision of Andrew Motte's 1729 translation of Newton's Principia, vol.1 The Motion of Bodies, but he died before it was completed.