His father was engaged in general merchandise, and he assisted in the business until he was about 26 years old, he then came West and herded cattle in his neighborhood for one year; he then went back to Ohio and engaged in the milling business, renting his father’s grist-mill; he followed the business one year; he then came West and improved a farm in this township, remaining here one year; he again went back to Ohio and engaged as assistant manager of the Etna Furnace, at Ironton, Ohio, and followed the business for three years, when for the third time he came West, and finished the improvements on his farm, and lived there until 1877, when he came to his present place. He is no office seeker and has held no office except connected with the schools. He owns 500 acres in this county.