He was the son of Daniel Saxton and Eliza A. Saxton. He was educated at the Clyde High School. He was a member of the Young Men's Debating Club in Cortland (which later became the Delphic Fraternity.)
He was a member of the New York State Assembly (Wayne Co., 1st D.) in 1887, 1888 and 1889. In 1888, as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, he took charge of the Ballot Reform Bill and secured its passage in both Assembly and Senate, but it was vetoed by Gov. David B. Hill. The next year, he had the bill passed again, but it was vetoed again by Hill.
In the session of 1892, he made a strong but unsuccessful fight against the re-apportionment of the state, and for his refusal to vote on an enumeration bill (voting reapportionment) he and two other senators were declared guilty of contempt by Lt. Gov. William F. Sheehan and their names taken from the roll. But they were supported by the judiciary committee in their position, were purged of contempt and their names restored.[1][2]
On March 30, 1897, he was appointed one of the first judges of the New York Court of Claims, to take office on January 1, 1898, for a six-year term. Until the end of 1897, this body had been the Board of Claims, with three commissioners. He was chosen Chief Judge, and died in office.
Because of his failing health, he went in late 1903 to Clifton Springs, New York, but did not get better. After several weeks, he entered the City Hospital at Rochester, and died a week later.