in 1823, he and his family moved to newport, new york. the following year, he placed an advertisement in that city's newspaper (the "patriot") offering his services in house and sign painting, gilding, glazing and chair-making. he also sold painting supplies and apparently served for a brief period as a captain on a canal boat. soon, however, he appeared in richmond, virginia, where he promoted himself as an instructor for women in theorem stencil, popularly known as "poonah painting". it is likely that he was also employed as an assistant at a local women's art academy that taught painting on velvet and other fancy work.