A Hanover resident from 1816 to 1836, he lived at Dennison's Corners and Keach's Corners, served as clerk of Dennison's Corners School #10 and of Forestville Baptist Church, studied law, taught, and married in Silver Creek, attended Fredonia Academy, became Ellington Postmaster and a Randolph newspaper publisher, emerged as a Mormon leader at Voree, WI., and Beaver Is., MI., seceded from U.S. authority, proclaimed himself King on 7/8/1850, served as a Michigan legislator, and was also an author, lecturer, and naturalist before being murdered by followers on 7/9/1856.