He was born on August 28, 1895, in West Monroe, Oswego County, New York. He attended the public schools and Central Square High School. He worked as a bank clerk, and was assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Central Square from 1912 to 1918. During the First World War he served in the United States Army; in 1919 he organized the State Bank of Parish and served as a director. He was organizer of the Parish Oil Co. Inc. in 1926, serving as president since 1937, and was Chairman of the Oswego County Republican Committee in 1942.