hiː wʌz ɐpˈɔɪntᵻd ɐ kˈɜːnəl ɪnðə tˌɛnəsˈiː stˈeɪt məlˈɪʃə ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi wˈʌn, ænd sˈɜːvd æz ʃˈɛɹɪf ʌv bˈɛdfɚd kˈaʊnti fɹʌm wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi tə wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi sˈɪks.
He was appointed a colonel in the Tennessee state militia in 1831, and served as Sheriff of Bedford County from 1840 to 1846.