Charles Henry ELDRIDGE was born 26 July 1832,in Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio, son of Duncan Campbell and his 2nd wife Rebecca LIPPINCOTT ELDRIDGE. Duncan was Josiah ELDRIDGE's son and oldest child (see Josiah ELDRIDGE). Three or four years after Charles was born, the family moved by raft to Davenport, Scott, IA where he received his education. (Raft story in seperate blog).

He worked with his father and half-brother, Jacob Mullen ELDRIDGE, in Jacob's land development business. In 1861, after Lincoln's inauguration, Charles was commissioned Postmaster in Davenport, where his father and youngest brother Micajah LIPPINCOTT ELDRIDGE, served as postal clerks. During the Civil War, there were 15,000 people in the city.

The post-Civil War years saw the birth of the insurance business. In 1864, after Lincoln's assassination, Charles resigned and formed in 1867, The National Insurance Co., offering protection against loss by fire and lightning, with Dr. Wallace W. PARKER and Joseph THOMPSON (father of Charles' 2 wives). Charles served as secretary until 1871 when the business no longer appears in the Davenport City Directory. He worked in the land development and insurance business and served 2 years as Scott County Auditor and editor for the Northwestern News until 1887 when he moved from Davenport.

On 15 July 1858, Charles married Josephine B. THOMPSON in Davenport. She and her parents, Joseph and Sarah ENGLISH THOMPSON came to Davenport from Philadelphia where Josephine was born 6 Apr 1837. Josephine died 10 Dec 1867, just 2 months after the birth of their fourth child, Charles Howard, and is buried in Davenport's Oakdale Memorial Gardens aka Oakdale Cemetery, on the Duncan Eldridge lot.

Charles married Rebecca E. Thompson, sister of Josephine (no date). Rebecca was born 9 Aug 1847 in Haddonfield, NJ. Rebecca died in their Brady and 13th St. home in Davenport, on 8 Oct 1871. There were no children. She is buried in Oakdale.

After Rebecca's death, Charles closed their home and sent Edward, Marie "Nettie" and Caroline "Carrie" to board with relatives, aunt Mrs. Sarah ADE in Davenport; and two cousins, Mrs. Ella CHANDLER and Aaron MIDDLETON of Mahaska County, IA. The children lived with these families for at least 5 years before returning to Davenport just before 1880.
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Mary Josephine WATERMAN, also called Josephine, became Charles' 3rd wife on 15 Aug 1872 in Davenport. She was the dtr of Dr. Joseph Alpin and Mary McGEE WATERMAN born 21 Jan 1852 in Cincinnati, Hamilton, OH. The WATERMAN family moved to Kokomo, Howard, Indiana where Dr. WATERMAN died. Mary McGEE WATERMAN brought her children to Davenport. [Mary Josephine was the sister of Charles MCGEE WATERMAN, principal in the LANE and WATERMAN Law Office in Davenport, and county judge].

Josephine THOMPSON and Charles had 4 children: Edward Gifford, Marie Antoinette or Nettie, Caroline Lincoln or Carrie, and Charles Howard, all bio'd in their own blogs.
Mary Josephine WATERMAN and Charles had: Mary Rebecca, Anna Josephine, Alta Ray/Rae and Charles Henry, Jr. Info will follow on these.

About 1887, Charles ELDRIDGE moved his family to Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri. On 14 Sept 1892, Charles died from a fall down an elevator shaft in the Nelson Building in Kansas City. Mary and the children returned to Davenport. Mary Josephine died 1 Feb 1927. She and Charles are buried in Davenport's Oakdale Cemetery.