In 1860 he filled a clerkship in a St. Louis bank, which he resigned to visit New Mexico, crossing the plains for this purpose.

Returning soon after the beginning of the American Civil War, he enlisted in the U. S. Army, and served in the engineer corps, attaining the rank of first lieutenant.

Subsequently, he was engaged in surveying in Montana and Dakota, and filled the office of U. S. deputy surveyor.

[2] In 1873 he began the study of medicine under army surgeons in Fort Sully, while holding the appointment of civilian meteorologist in the U.S. Signal Service.

He settled in Chicago in 1879, and after studying medicine became a specialist in nervous and mental diseases.