ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti sˈɪks, hiː wʌz ᵻlˈɛktᵻd pɹˈɛzɪdənt ʌvðə nˈæʃənəl kənvˈɛnʃən ʌv kˈʌlɚd mˈɛn æt nˈæʃvɪl, tˌɛnəsˈiː, ænd, ɪn dʒˈuːn ʌv ðæt jˈɪɹ, hiː wʌz ɐpˈɔɪntᵻd ɹˈɛdʒɪstɚɹ ʌvðə juːnˈaɪɾᵻd stˈeɪts lˈænd ˈɑːfɪs æt lˈɪɾəl ɹˈɑːk.
In 1876, he was elected president of the National Convention of Colored Men at Nashville, Tennessee, and, in June of that year, he was appointed register of the United States Land Office at Little Rock.