Career
He was elected a delegate to the Chicago District Council of the Carpenters" union, and president of the district council several times. In 1905 he was elected president of the Structural Building Trades Alliance. He served until 1908, when the Alliance affiliated with the American Federation of Labor and changed its name to the Building Trades Department (BTD).
He was elected president of the BTD and served until 1910.
In 1910, Carpenters president William Huber appointed him "general organizer" for the international union. He served as president until his death.
When he was elected president of the United Brotherhood, he moved to Indianapolis with his family. He died suddenly after an operation for appendicitis.
His funeral was attended by trades union officials from all over the United States.