He was brought up on his father's small farm and was entirely self-educated. He taught a country school, 1831-33; was deputy clerk of the county court, 1833-35, during which time he studied law under Judge Nathan Green, and was admitted to the bar in 1836. He removed to Arkansas in 1837, and settled in Fayetteville, where he married a daughter of Col. James McKissick, director of the Branch State bank at Fayetteville. He was a representative in the state legislature, 1838 and 1842, and speaker of the house in 1842. In 1845 he was defeated for representative in the 30th congress by Col. Robert W. Johnson. He resigned from the bench in 1848, and removed to Austin, Texas, in 1849. In 1848, with Judge White, he prepared a digest of the laws affecting Texas and was prominent in the movement leading to the secession of the state, Feb. 1, 1861. He was elected to the provisional congress at Montgomery, Alabama, and appointed by President Davis to carry out a confidential mission in Arkansas, which secured the secession of that state, May 6, 1861. On his return to Texas, he was elected C.S. senator, and served throughout the existence of the Confederacy. On the adjournment of the Confederate congress, he returned to Texas and went thence to Mexico, where he prepared "Last Days of the Confederacy," and also engaged in the business of photography. In 1866 he went to Canada, where he learned that one W. S. Oldham had been pardoned, and on returning to New York, found that it did not refer to himself. He then proceeded to Washington, where he refused to take the oath of allegiance necessary to procure a pardon, and asked for an indictment and trial before a jury, stating that if convicted he would then apply for a pardon. He returned to Texas where he practiced law, but took no p art in public affairs. He died in Austin, May 8, 1868.

Husband