He was appointed a colonel in the Tennessee state militia in 1831, and served as Sheriff of Bedford County from 1840 to 1846.
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.