[1] Egan was born in Windsor, New South Wales, and was a foreman at the Government Dockyards, Sydney, from 1824 to its closure in 1835.
He then went into business and acquired several trading and whaling vessels but went bankrupt in 1843 and later became a wine and spirit merchant.
[2] He became an alderman of the Sydney City Council on its creation in 1842, resigning due to his bankruptcy.
Egan was elected to the Legislative Council on 1 April 1854, representing the Pastoral District of Maneroo.
[1] Egan died on 16 October 1870(1870-10-16) (aged 66–67) at his home in the Sydney harbourside suburb of Watsons Bay.