Charles H. Brown was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, on the 4th of February, 1866, and is a brother of Hon. McPherson Brown, in whose sketch, on another page of this work, appears the family history. He spent his boyhood days in his native city, and in the public schools acquired his education, pursuing his studies there until twelve years of age, when he began to learn engraving, but he did not complete his course in that calling, turning his attention to other pursuits. He accepted a clerkship in a retail grocery house, where he was employed for four years, after which he spent two years in a wholesale grocery house, having charge of the packing department for one year and during the second year was salesman in the city department. On the expiration of that period he abandoned the grocery trade and secured employment in the rolling mills, being at that time about twenty-three years of age. He was first employed as rollingman in a sheet mill, and, applying himself diligently to his work, he soon mastered both the principle and detail of the work in his depart-ment. In November, 1889, he came to Piqua, where he has since remained, actively associated with the iron manufacturing interests of this city. He began here as a roughman and for four years was employed at the heating furnace. He was then made rollman--a work which commands higher wages than that of any other depart-ment of the rolling mill. He is an expert workman, competent and reliable, and enjoys the unqualified confidence and trust of his employers.

On the 18th of August, 1887, Mr. Brown was united in marriage, in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, to Miss C. May Arbuckle, of Mercer county, and to them have been born two children,--Mamie Orr, whose birth occurred August 8, 1889, and Frank Arbuckle, born in July, 1891. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have a wide acquaintance in Piqua and are favorably known on account of their many excellent qualities. They are both active members of the Presbyterian church, taking a leading part in its work. Mr. Brown has served as chorister in the church, Sunday school and Young Men's Christian Association, also as superintendent of the Sunday school and is an active member of the. Young Men's Christian Association. He votes with the Republican party on questions of national importance, but at local elections regards only the fitness of the candidates to discharge the business duties connected with the conduct of municipal affairs. He is public spirited and progressive, a man at all times honorable and upright, and his co-operation is freely given to every movement which he believes will prove of public benefit to the city along educational, social, material and moral lines.