Ironically, most of the facts that have been found on our family revolve around these two people. Most likely that's because Charles W. Charleston and Jane Mary (nee Dall) happened to have a well-recorded history. Not much can be said about their daily life or what it was like in Chicago in the late 1800s, but there are lots of facts surrounding their lives.

Charles W. was the son of a grocer from Sweden (or so the census says). He was born in 1845 and was the eldest of 8. All of his brothers and sisters lived in the Chicago area. The most famous of his siblings was probably Caspar, who was a fireman during the Great Chicago Fire. Caspar's descendants are still around. He had four sons (Frank A. -- also a fireman, Roy, Harry and Wilbur). Wilbur had two sons, Raymond and James. James has a least one daughter (who found me! Her name is Allison.) Rumor is that two of Charles Sr.'s other sons, Godfrey and John, were also firemen, but I haven't been able to substantiate that fact.

Charles W. served in the Civil War. He was a veteran and an honoree from Cook County until his death. He served in Company B9, 132nd Illinois Infantry unit. Records seem to indicate that he signed up for 100 days in 1864 and was enlisted as a Sergeant. Again, rumor has it that this was common (to sign up for 100 days) but the men rarely returned until much later than that timeframe. When he returned from the war, he worked with a gentleman named David Dall and together they created one of Chicago's earliest marine insurance brokers.

By the time 1870 had rolled around (one year before the Fire), CW was married to Jane Mary Dall (daughter of Capt. David C. Dall) and the two of them had one son, Irving. In another year they had Walter, our Great Grandfather. At this time he was working as a "vessel agent".

Jane and Charles are both buried at Rosehill Cemetary in one of the oldest plots there. Charles died young at age 51, but Jane lived until she was 73 years old.

Note: A researcher here found the Chicago City Directory for me and listed under Dall is this: David C. Dall and C.W. Charleston, Marine Insurance Brokers. Dall and Charleston. This is fantastic since this is how CW met Jane Mary Dall! I knew this before from heresay, but now I know it's fact (unless they were a front for the mafia or something...)