Upon reaching the Tombigbee River he built a clapboard house in five days, cleared land from its canebrake, planted corn with a sharpened stick, and in spite of ravages from bears and raccoons gathered a hundred and fifty bushels from six acres.

When the town of Columbus, Mississippi, was founded nearby in 1819 he sawed boards to build a house on speculation.

From this he was diverted to the Indian trade, bartering whiskey, cloth and miscellaneous goods for peltries.

He then became a justice of the peace and school commissioner at Columbus, surveyed and sold town lots on public account, and built two school houses with the proceeds.

He then moved up the river to engage anew in the Indian trade with a partner who soon proved a drunkard.