hiː ɹˌɛpɹᵻzˈɛntᵻd mək mˈɪn kˈaʊnti æt ðə stˈeɪt dˌɛməkɹˈæɾɪk pˈɑːɹɾi kənvˈɛnʃən ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti wˈʌn, ænd wʌz ɐpˈɔɪntᵻd baɪ nˈuːli ᵻlˈɛktᵻd dˌɛməkɹˈæɾɪk ɡˈʌvɚnɚɹ ˈændɹuː dʒˈɑːnsən tə ðə bˈoːɹd ʌv dᵻɹˈɛktɚz ʌvðɪ ˈiːst tˌɛnəsˈiː ænd dʒˈɔːɹdʒɚ ɹˈeɪlɹoʊd ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti fˈoːɹ.
He represented McMinn County at the state Democratic Party convention in 1851, and was appointed by newly elected Democratic governor Andrew Johnson to the board of directors of the East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad in 1854.