Edwards, Rev. Jonathan. "An Illustrated History of Spokane County, State of Washington." San Francisco: W. H. Lever, 1900. p. 377. C. W. CARSON A pioneer of 1880, was born in Frankfort-on-the-Main November 24, 1848. His mother died when he was three years old and at the age of nine he came to the United States with a friend, and grew up in New York city, where he learned the trade of a miller, and worked at the business until 1873. In 1874 he went to Portland, Oregon, and started a bakery, which was not a successful venture, and he went to milling, later working at Salem, and finally at Ainsworth, Washington. He came to Spokane in 1877 and looked over the place, but did not like the appearance and returned to Ainsworth. In 1880 he returned to Spokane and engaged in the restaurant business, opening the first on Main street, between Howard and Stevens, where the old Wilson stables are located. After eighteen months he sold out and located another restaurant on Front and Howard, where he remained until the fire of January 16, 1883, when he lost all his stock. He opened in his own building, which he had purchased before the fire, and had dinner ready for the next day. As he owned only the building and had a lot just east of where the city hall now stands, he removed the house from the corner of Howard and Front and kept business going during the removal. He soon sold out, but followed the restaurant business for many years, accumulating a great deal of property. In 1884 he went to Rathdrum and opened a restaurant, clearing three thousand five hundred dollars in twenty-five days. In 1885 he had a restaurant and lodging house where the Hyde block now is, and during the period from 1884 to 1889 he made an average of one hundred dollars per day in the restaurant business. He has always been liberal with his money in contributing to all the early enterprises for building up the city. Mr. Carson was married in Spokane October 14, 1884, to Alice Balhem. She died here March 10, 1889, leaving two children -- Hazel B. and Roy E. Transcriber's additional notes: CENSUS 1887, April 17; Spokane Co, WA; Spokane Falls Pct, p 47 Chas. W. Carson, 39, b GER, married, restaurant keeper Alice S, 24, b ENG, married, US citizen Hazel B, 2, b Wa. Terr 1900, June 19; Spokane Co, WA; Douglas Pct, Wd 4 Spokane, p 212, 1401 Ide Avenue Charles W. Carson, 51, Nov 1848, GER, GER, GER, mar 10 yrs, to US 1888, saloon keeper, owns home free Mary, wife, 51, Aug 1848, IRE, IRE, IRE, mar 10 yrs, to US 1850, 0 children Hazel G, dau, 15, June 1885, Wa. Terr, GER, ENG, att. school Roy E, son, 12, Sept 1887, Wa. Terr, GER, ENG, att. school 1910, April 26; Spokane Co, WA; Dexter Pct, Spokane Wd 4, p 218, 1924 Mallori Avenue Charles W. Carson, 61, GER, GER, GER, 4th marriage, mar 20 yrs, own income, owns home free Mary, wife, 61, IRE, IRE, IRE, 2nd marriage, mar 20 yrs, 0 children 1920, January 8; Spokane Co, WA; Dalke Pct, Wd 4 Spokane, p 52 Mary Carson, 71, IRE, IRE, IRE, Widow * * * * Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in April 2006 by Diana Smith. This biography was transcribed for the Washington Biographies Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the individual featured in the biographies.