He was born on October 15, 1854 in Oshawa, Ontario to a family of Irish ancestry, and ordained a priest on April 13, 1879 in the Diocese of Buffalo, New York. On December 12, 1896 he was appointed Bishop of Buffalo, where he was ordained a bishop on February 24, 1897. He was appointed Archbishop of Chicago, on January 8, 1903 and installed March 10, 1903. He served as archbishop until his death at the age of 60.