Description

Charles Born (b. 1874 – d. 1951) was born November 23, 1874 in New York City. He was the son of Charly Born and Elisa Valenteen. In 1894, he came to Prescott, Arizona from Colorado where he mined for silver. He first engaged in mining on Lynx Creek seeking gold at the Hidden Treasure Mine and then became the first mail carrier in Prescott about 1900.

He was a member of the Dudes Hose Company, No. 2 of the Prescott Volunteer Fire Department and helped to put out the great fire of July 14, 1900 which destroyed much of the downtown business district of Prescott. He was also engaged in the theatre business starting in the 1920s and was part owner of the Elks Theater in Prescott.

He married Margaret Barney Johnston (b. 1876 – d. 1959) in Del Norte, Colorado in September 1, 1891. Margaret, her mother, Ella Barney (Johnson) Johnston Burns and her daughter Mary Alice (Born) Heller Noyes are commemorated in the Territorial Women’s Memorial Rose Garden in Prescott. Charles and Margaret’s eldest child, Johnston, was born in Creede, Colorado; the other eight were born in Prescott.

He served on the Selective Service Board during World War II and the Korean War. He was a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks for 38 years, as well as the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America.

Charles died August 1, 1951 and is buried at Prescott’s Mountain View Cemetery. At the time of his death, he was survived by his wife Margaret and seven sons and two daughters: Johnston Augustus Born of Cottonwood, Arizona (b. 1892 – d. 1978; Charles Dewey Born (b. 1898 – d. 1978), Robert Valentine Born (b. 1900 – d. 1960) and Dr. Ernest August Born (b. 1904 – d. 1980) of Prescott; Frederick Shirley Born of Gerber, California (b. 1907 – d. 2005); James Sidney Born of New York City (b. 1914 – d. 2003); Ralph Marvin Born of Schenectady, New York (b. 1920 – d. 1995); Mrs. Helen Margaret (Born) Royer of Battle Creek, Michigan (b. 1902 – d. 1992); and Mrs. Mary Alice (Born) Heller Noyes of Prescott (b. 1911 – d. 1995).

Source: Prescott Evening Courier, August 2, 1951; FamilySearch, Sharlot Hall Territorial Women’s Memorial Rose Garden profile for Margaret Barney (Johnston) Born.