He was a member of the New York State Assembly (Niagara Co., 1st D.) in 1864.
[1] In 1865, he was Chief Engineer of the Lockport Fire Department, and in 1866, he was one of the first directors of the Niagara Ship Canal Company which was incorporated by an Act of the New York State Legislature.
He served as Mayor of Lockport, New York from 1867 to 1868, when he was nominated in the 29th District for U.S. Congress, but was defeated by Republican John Fisher.
In 1873, he was elected a Canal Commissioner on the Democratic ticket, and was in office from 1874 to 1876.
He died of apoplexy while staying at a hotel in New York City.