He was a
constable in
Williamson County,
Tennessee, from 1834 to 1836, and was then a
Justice of Peace for the county until 1844. He was in private practice in
Waynesboro, Tennessee from 1844 to 1847. He was a state district attorney general of Waynesboro from 1847 to 1855, thereafter resuming private practice in
Jacinto,
Mississippi, until 1858. He was a Judge of the Probate Court of
Tishomingo County, Mississippi from 1858 to 1865, and was a district chancellor for the state of Mississippi from 1865 to 1866. ==Federal judicial service==