Born Jan. 13, 1869 in Claremont County, Ohio, he graduated from the University of Michigan in 1893 and moved that same year to South Dakota, where he practiced law at Beresford. He watched the new town grow and helped develop it from a virgin prairie, serving several terms as mayor and city attorney. He also held the offices of judge and states attorney of Union County. He was elected governor of South Dakota for the terms of 1924 and 1926, and was elected to the United States Senate on Nov. 4, 1930 and re-elected to a second term on Nov. 3, 1936. He was credited with securing Beresford's first class post office.