Lord engaged in the mercantile business at
Afton from 1893 to 1918, when he entered the lumber business and operated
sawmills. He was Afton's
town supervisor from 1905 to 1915; and a member of the
New York State Assembly (Chenango Co.) in
1915,
1916,
1917,
1918,
1919,
1920 and
1921. He was New York State Commissioner of Motor Vehicles from 1921 to 1923. He was again a member of the State Assembly in
1924,
1925,
1926,
1927,
1928 and
1929. On November 5, 1929, he was re-elected to the Assembly; on November 25 State Senator
B. Roger Wales died, and Lord ran to succeed him. On January 3, 1930, Lord was elected to the
New York State Senate (40th D.). He served in the Senate until 1934, sitting in the
153rd,
154th,
155th,
156th and
157th New York State Legislatures. Lord was elected as a
Republican to the
74th,
75th and
76th United States Congresses; he served from January 3, 1935 until his death. ==Personal life==