A native of Illinois, Charles E. Loose was born in the city of Quincy, September 19, 1853, a son of Robert and Jane (Tenney) Loose. The father was born in the west end of London, England, and as a youth came to the United States. He established his home in Quincy, Illinois, and in early manhood took up the profession of teaching. Later he engaged in the drug business and at the time of his demise was proprietor of a drug store in Texas. His wife was born in the state of New York and passed away in 1904. She became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and removed with her son, Charles E., to Utah when the latter was a young child. They drove ox teams from Quincy, their old home, across the plains and over the mountains until they reached their destination.

Charles E. Loose was one of three children and attended school at Payson, Utah, but when thirteen years of age started out to earn his own living. Since that time he has been dependent entirely upon his own resources and has justly won the proud American title of a self-made man. As a boy he went to California and his first job was on a ranch at twenty dollars per month. He soon drifted into the mining fields, however, and from that on became active in prospecting and mining in California and Nevada. In the latter state he worked at Eureka in the smelters and subsequently prospected in Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico and parts of old Mexico. In 1885 he returned to Utah and has since been one of the prominent mine owners and operators of this state. Gradually he worked his way upward, improving every opportunity that came within his reach, and by industry and economy was enabled to make investment in mining property.

As the years passed and he prospered his investments became more and more extensive and he is today a well known figure in mining circles, being now one of the heavy stockholders and manager of the Grand Central Mining Company, of which J. T. Farrer is the president. Mr. Loose also owns large interests in and is a director or manager of a dozen other big mining propositions. He has likewise extended his efforts into banking circles, becoming the vice president of the Provo Commercial & Savings Bank, of which Hon. Reed Smoot is the president and J. T. Farrer, cashier. This bank is capitalized for one hundred thousand dollars, has a surplus of fifty thousand dollars, undivided profits of about three thousand dollars, individual deposits of five hundred and eighty thousand dollars and savings of about three hundred thousand dollars. The bank has enjoyed a profitable existence, its progressiveness being tempered by a safe conservatism that has won for it excellent support.

In 1887 Mr. Loose was united in marriage to Miss Jane Patten, of Payson, Utah, a daughter of George Patten. The children of this marriage are: Erma, the wife of Preston G. Peterson, who is the secretary-treasurer of the Grand Central Mining Company of Provo; Fay, the wife of Dr. W. T. Stiehl; Edwin, who died at the age of twenty-one years; Warren Dean, who served with the One Hundred and Forty-fifth Utah Regiment of United States Infantry, which made so splendid a record, and since being honorably discharged has been connected with his father in the offices of the mining company; and Clarence, who is attending the Brigham Young University.

Mr. Loose turns to farming and stock raising as a diversion from other business cares. He is associated with Reed Smoot in various business concerns as a director and stockholder, in all of which he displays sound judgment and unfailing enterprise. His keen sagacity has enabled him to place his investments most wisely, and his progressiveness and unflagging industry have been the basic principles of his growing success. His political allegiance is always given to the republican party and his opinions carry weight in its councils. He has always been an ardent admirer of Theodore Roosevelt and was an elector from Utah at the time that Roosevelt was chosen president of the United States. He served as a delegate to the national convention in Chicago in 1912 and his opinions upon any public question are openly and frankly expressed. No one need ever question him the second time as to his position or his opinion. Men have learned to know that what he says he will do. He has little of the polish which comes from the training of the colleges and universities yet there is no man in Provo who is more honored and respected by all or who occupies a more enviable position in financial circles, not alone by reason of the success he has achieved, but also owing to the straightforward business policy which he has ever followed.

[Source: Utah since Statehood: Historical and Biographical Volume 2;　By Noble Warrum; Publ. 1919; Transcribed and submitted by Andrea Stawski Pack.]