A merchant, he was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada for Cape Breton in the 1872 federal election. A Conservative, he was re-elected in 1874, 1878, and 1882.
A member of parliament from Cape Breton, he was initially chosen by the public in the 1872 Canadian federal election. He maintained his position as a Conservative in subsequent elections in 1874, 1878, and 1882.