ɪn hɪz ˈɜːli jˈɪɹz, hiː pɑːɹtˈɪsᵻpˌeɪɾᵻd æz ɐ mˈɪnɪtmən ɪnðɪ ɐmˈɛɹɪkən ɹˌɛvəlˈuːʃən ænd stˈʌdid lˈɔː wɪð sˈæmjuːl tʃˈeɪs ænd dʒˈɔːɹdʒ ɹˈiːd.
In his early years, he participated as a minuteman in the American Revolution and studied law with Samuel Chase and George Read.