He planned to study law, but due to a speech disorder, pursued medicine instead.
Engle earned a degree from Michigan State University and the Long Island Medical College.
In 1872, he married Ann Arbor, Michigan, native Katie Madison and moved with her to Newton, Iowa.
Engle contested the 1889 Iowa Senate election as a candidate of the Union Labor Party, won the District 29 seat, and switched affiliations to the People's Party prior to the 1891 election.
Engle mounted a bid for Congress in the 1882 United States House of Representatives elections.