Charles A. Hanson was born in Greenbrier County, Virginia on September 14, 1844 and was the son of John A. and Mary Jane (Shuck) Hanson, and the grandson of William and Margaret Hanson of Greenbrier County. After some schooling, Charles took up the trade of carpentry from his father and mixed this with farming. In 1865, Charles moved to Kanawha County West Virginia with his parents and brothers and sisters. On October 24, 1871, Charles married Octavia Mease, who was born on April 28, 1853, and they settled in Malden District, Kanawha County, where Charles farmed and mined coal. Children born to Charles and Octavia were the following children: Ida Hanson born 1871; Cora Hanson, born 1873; John Atha "Addie" Hanson, born 1876; Charles Q. "Oge" Hanson, born 1881; Jersey B. Hanson, born 1883; William H. "Harbert" Henson, born 1885; Robert H. "Hyatt" Henson, born 1891; Margie J. Hanson, born 1879; and three children who died as infants or small children, Joseph, Mary, and Edgar Hanson. Mr. Hanson died at Brooks Hollow, Charleston, WV on July 23, 1929. He was a Methodist in Christian belief and is buried in the Hanson family cemetery in Bakers Fork near Charleston WV.