 In 1834, he moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but was unhappy with his situation there and moved on to Detroit, where six months later was admitted to the bar.He began a practice with future Michigan Supreme Court justice Charles W. Whipple in 1835, later partnering with, in turn, E. B. Harrington and H. H. Emmons, before leaving private practice in 1852 to become the attorney for the Michigan Central Railroad.In 1837, he married Elizabeth Desnoyers; the couple had eleven children.