He was trained as a millsmith (specifically in woodworking), and moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where he was employed by a streetcar manufacturer.
[1] He attended night courses at Case Institute of Technology, and learned technical drawing, design skills, and structural engineering.
As the streetcar manufacturers transitioned from wooden to steel construction, his expertise allowed him to accept a better offer with Southern Car Company in High Point, North Carolina, where he became chief engineer, and he and his wife moved south in 1910.
Late in the 20th century, local employees carefully restored the cars, which operate on a heritage streetcar system.
It is still based in High Point, and is part of the Freightliner Group of Daimler AG, a worldwide automotive manufacturer.