His family removed to Oswego, New York, in 1870. He attended the public schools, and was employed as a railway trainman in 1885, served as legislative representative of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen of New York State from 1896 to 1914 and again from February 1915 until January 1, 1933, and served as referee for the New York State Labor Bureau in 1914 and 1915.
In 1932, he was elected at-large as a Democrat to the 73rd United States Congress, holding office from March 4, 1933, to January 3, 1935. Afterwards, he resumed his post as the legislative representative for the Railroad Brotherhoods in Albany until his death in a Buffalo hospital in 1941. He was buried at the St. Peter's Cemetery in Oswego.