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CHARLES F. ALBERT, of the firm of Albert & Whipple, dealers in real estate and insurance, of Vinton, Iowa, was born in Harrison township, Benton county, Iowa, in November, 1858, in an old log cabin. He is a son of Henry and Louisa (Albert) Albert, cousins, and is grandson of Peter and Catherine (Bonebrake) Albert. Peter Albert and his wife were both Germans, and moved to Meadville, Pennsylvania, where they lived sixteen years and then between 1820 and 1830 removed to Iowa. Their children were: Henry, Julia and Catherine, born in Germany, and Peter, John and Eva, born in Pennsylvania. Peter Albert, Jr., is a miner in Idaho. Henry Albert was born in Germany, and came to Pennsylvania with his parents when about ten years of age. When he was old enough he began working on his own account at farming and when about twenty-five years old came to Iowa and bought land from the government; he was one of the first settlers of Jefferson township, Buchanan county, and one of the earliest settlers of Harrison township, Benton county. By his industry and thrift he became the owner of twelve hundred acres of land, and was very successful in farming and stock raising. His wife was born in Meadville, Pennsylvania, and came with her parents to Buchanan county, Iowa, and was there married from her father's home. She was the daughter of Nicholas and Margaret Albert, both natives of Germany, who came to the United States with Mr. Albert's brother Peter and his wife, and were married in Meadville, Pennsylvania. They removed to Iowa in 1836, at the same time as Peter Albert and family. Nicholas Albert was a shoemaker by trade, and became a farmer after settling in Pennsylvania. He and his wife had children as follows: Louisa, (Mrs. Albert) ; Henry, a retired farmer of Iowa; Catherine, widow of P. Steckman, of Pipestone, Minnesota; Peter D., deceased; William A., a hotel keeper of Brandon, Iowa; and Margaret, wife of W. Taylor, of Bakersfield, California. Both Peter and Nicholas Albert were friends of "Coal Oil Johnny," a man famous for his oil discoveries in Pennsylvania. Henry and Louisa Albert had children as follows: George N., a retired farmer living in Vinton; William, who died in infancy; Charles F.; Edgar, deceased; and Catherine M., wife of Theodore Peck, of Iowa.
Charles F. Albert was reared in Harrison township, and after attending the common school, entered Tilford Academy, at Vinton, from which he graduated. After his marriage he settled on part of the old homestead, where he lived fourteen years, and then removed to Vinton and entered into business, dealing in grain ; a year and a half later he began dealing in real estate and insurance, in which line he has since been successfully operating. Both he and his partner are men of enterprise and good business principles, and well informed along the line of their activities. Mr. Albert is a member of the Christian church, and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Politically he is affiliated with the Democratic party, and takes an active interest in public affairs.
In March, 1885, Mr. Albert married Cynthia, daughter of William and Amy Ann Revel, of Vinton, Benton county, Iowa.
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