After studying law in Elberton, Georgia and gaining admittance to the state bar, he practiced law for a short time and then focused on farming. From 1811 to 1813, he was judge of the inferior court of Clarke County, Georgia.
He began his career by studying law in Elberton, Georgia, and eventually became licensed to practice law after passing the bar exam. He then shifted his focus to farming for a short period before taking on a judicial role from 1811 to 1813 as the judge of the inferior court of Clarke County, Georgia.