He was a soldier of the Revolution. he was in Captain Ross Wyman's Artillery Company, Colonel Jonathan Ward's Regiment which marched on the Lexington Alarm; in 1777, marched on an alarm at Bennington in Captain John Maynard's Company, Colonel. Job Cushing's Regiment. Ancestor # A014435

He spent a great deal of time traveling, eventually settling in Dane County Wisconsin where he mines lead. By 1828, he was operating an inn and general store serving the local miners, local tribes and other travelers.

During the Black Hawk War, he served as a colonel in the Wisconsin Territorial Militia. Fort Blue Mounds was later built near his home, where he and his neighbors took refuge there during the conflict. He successfully defended the post against several raids by the Sauk and Fox. Involved in politics during his later years, he was a member of the territorial council between 1836 to 1842, state assemblyman in 1848, and served on the Dane County board of commissioners in 1845, 1848–1850, and 1854-1855.