Served on the Iowa Supreme Court from January 1, 1921, until December 31, 1932. For two years he was Chief Justice.
Born in Mitchell County June 5, 1865, he was graduated in science from Iowa State College and for a time attended the Law School of the University of Maryland. In 1891 he was graduated from the Law Department of the University of Iowa and began the practice of law at Sioux Rapids. In 1895 he moved to Storm Lake where he served two terms as County Attorney, In 1907 he was appointed United States District Attorney for the northern district of Iowa and served for more than six years. After his retirement from the bench he resumed the practice of law at Sioux City. In 1933 the Supreme Court of the United States appointed him a special Master in Chancery to establish the boundary between the states of Wisconsin and Michigan.
On March 1, 1942, he was appointed Editor of the Code of Iowa and Reporter of the Supreme Court where he served until 1946.
He died in Des Moines February 19, 1954.