He was the son of Solomon Nussbaum (1806–1879) and Clara Nussbaum (1816–1898), German Jewish emigrants from Neustadt an der Saale. He attended the public schools. He graduated from Albany Law School in 1877, was admitted to the bar, and practiced in Albany. In 1884, he was appointed as a police justice. He married Lillian Van Kuren. The marriage ended in divorce before 1902.
On May 28, 1900, he was appointed as referee to hear testimony relating to the business of the American Ice Company, an ice trust which the State authorities wanted to break up. Afterwards he remained in New York City, and practiced law there.
On February 13, 1915, he was appointed as referee to hear testimony to "determine whether the increased prices of bread, flour and wheat have been due to criminal conspiracy."
He was buried at the Beth Emeth Cemetery in Glenmont.
Sources
The New York Red Book compiled by Edgar L. Murlin (published by James B. Lyon, Albany NY, 1897; pg. 164f, 404 and 510)