William Charles has made his home in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, since 1876. He was born in Cornwall, England, October 15, 1837, son of Richard Charles, a native of the same county. His grandfather, Philip Charles, was also born in that portion of England. Richard Charles married Mary Otis, a native of Cornwall, and by her had twelve children, seven sons and five daughters, William being the youngest save one.

Our subject served his time as a miller until he had acquired a thorough knowledge of that business. In 1857 the Charles family came to America and located at Buffalo, New York, where they remained two years. At the end of that time they continued their way westward, and took up their abode near Marion, Grant County, Indiana. The father died in that county, at the age of seventy-nine years, and the mother, who has now reached the advanced age of ninety-three years, is a resident of Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Charles was a miller all his life. He was a member of the Church of England.

William Charles worked at milling in Grant County, Indiana, until 1876. In that year he came to Iowa and purchased eighty acres of land in section 13, Wright Township, Pottawattamie County. Since that time he has been identified with the best interests of the community. He has made many improvements on his farm; has built a good frame house and other out buildings, and has a grove of three acres and an orchard of two acres.

Mr. Charles has been twice married. At the age of twenty-six he wedded Miss Mary Woolman, a native of Grant County, Indiana, daughter of S. N. Woolman. By her he had one daughter, Clara, now the wife of H. L. Bales, of Wright Township, Pottawattamie County. Mrs. Charles was a worthy member of the United Brethren Church. Her death occurred in 1864.

In 1866 Mr. Charles took for his second wife E. Jane Woolman, a sister of his former companion. She was also born and reared in Grant County, Indiana. This union has been blessed with four children, three of whom are living--Salmon P., Jessie and Willie. They lost one son, Burr, at the age of nine years.

In connection with his general farming, Mr. Charles carries on the manufacture of sorghum, having a local reputation as an expert manufacturer of that article.

For ten years he has been a faithful and zealous worker in the cause of his Master; is a deacon in the Methodist Episcopal Church of Lewis, and is also a local preacher, expounding the word of God every alternate Sabbath. He is an efficient worker in the Sunday School. Mr. Charles is well posted on all current topics, and is a great reader of history and the Bible. He is broad and progressive in his views, is earnest in his labors for the advancement of religion, and is regarded by all who know him as an honorable and upright citizen and a true Christian.

In connection with the family history of his wife, it should be further stated that her father, S. N. Woolman, was a native of New Jersey, and her mother, Elizabeth (Bond) Woolman, was born in Virginia, a descendant of an old family of that State. Both parents were members of the United Brethren Church.