He attended the common schools, and Friends College in Providence, Rhode Island.

He studied medicine but never practiced, then engaged in mercantile pursuits.

Buffington was mustered into the service April 24, 1861, and discharged June 15, 1861.

He was a special agent of the United States Treasury and was an internal revenue collector for the district of Massachusetts 1867–1869.

This article about a member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts is a stub.