Career
Born into slavery in Virginia in 1819, he was brought to Texas in 1859. After the American Civil War, he became active in the Republican Party. He was active in the Union League in Texas, serving as Vice President.
He was then a delegate to the Texas State Constitutional Convention of 1868-1869 that gave African-American males the right to vote in Texas.
He was first elected to the legislature in 1869, representing Colorado County.