 In 1877 he was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives for the 64th General Assembly, and re-elected in 1879 for the 65th.He resigned when he was elected Ohio Secretary of State in 1880, and ran again in 1882, but was defeated.He served as State Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, and was elected to the Ohio Senate in 1887 for the 9th District in the 68th General Assembly.