hiː wʌz ɐdmˈɪɾᵻd tə ðə bˈɑːɹ ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti θɹˈiː, ænd pɹˈæktɪst ɪn dʒˈɑːnsən kˈaʊnti ænd kˈɑːɹɾɚ kˈaʊnti ɪn pˈɑːɹtnɚʃˌɪp wɪð nˈɛlsən ʌntˈɪl ðɪ ˈaʊtbɹeɪk ʌvðə sˈɪvəl wˈɔːɹ.
He was admitted to the bar in 1853, and practiced in Johnson County and Carter County in partnership with Nelson until the outbreak of the Civil War.