He immigrated to the United States as a youth, graduating from business school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1875.

He worked as a bank messenger, travelling salesman, and a businessman before being elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1888, serving a two-year term.

[1][2] After his first term, he represented West Virginia's 5th, and was elected six additional times before choosing not to run again in 1914.

After eleven years of retirement he was re-elected to the House in 1926 for the 4th congressional district.

His daughter, Eloise Hughes Smith, was among the survivors of the RMS Titanic disaster.