He served as vice president of the bank from its organization until January 1, 1889, when he became cashier.

He served as a lieutenant colonel of the First Regiment of the Nebraska Volunteers of the United States Army in the Philippine–American War from May 1898 to 1899.

[1][5][6] In August 1899, he joined the customs service in the Philippines as a deputy collector.

After his retirement, he focused on his property interests in South America and returned to the United States to work in business.

[citation needed] He later lived in Connecticut and by the time of his death, he had moved in with his sister in Washington, D.C.[1][4] Colton died on April 6, 1916, at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.[4] He was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery.