James Stewart Charlton

James Stewart Charlton, 90, of Meadville, city assessor for more than 20 years, died Tuesday, February 6, 1962, at City Hospital about two hours after receiving head injuries in a fall down stairs at his home.

Mr. Charlton was city assessor from 1929 until retiring in the spring of 1954 for health reasons.  He served several months as assistant assessor to assit his successor, the present city assessor Howard McCollough.  Mr. Charlton first served as acting assessor and was formally appointed to the post in January, 1930.

A native of Jersey City, NJ where he was born October 10, 1871, Mr. Charlton had long been associated with Meadville enterprises.  He graduated from Meadville High School and completed an electrical engineering course of the International Correspondence Schools.  He taught school in Mead Township for two years before entering the industrial field.  He was then associated with the Keystone View Co. for 11 years.  He was elected Fifth Ward councilman in 1913.

Before becoming assessor he had been for 20 years an executive of the Spirella Corset Co. in Meadville and Niagara Falls, NY.

A son of Robert S. and Emily Foster Charlton, he moved to Meadville with his parents when he was 3 years old.  He married Anna L. Van Riper on July 3, 1899.  She died August 14, 1959.

A member of Stone Methodist Church, he had been active in its Men's Class until ill health forced him to curtail his outside interests.  For many years he was secretary of Masonic Lodge 234 of Meadville.  He was a past commander of Northwestern Commandary, Knights Templar, and was a member of the local Royal Arch Chapter.

Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Skelly (Marie) Scott of Monongahela and Mrs. Elizabeth Reed of Beaver; two sons, James S., Jr. of Meadville and Aaron Augustus of Pittsburgh; two brothers, Robert of Akron and William of Meadville; fourteen grandchildren; thirteen great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Services were held at Waid Funeral Home.

Interment was in Greendale Cemetery.