CHARLES W. BEAN is junior member of the real estate firm of Anderson and Bean, the most progressive and wide-awake business men of Wichita Falls. They have the largest volume and value of business of any real estate firm in Wichita county, and are gaining a great work in developing and bringing before the people the resources of the county. They understand fully the virtue of a good advertisement, and their circulars and pamphlets descriptive of the charms and worth of this country as a place for settlers find their way all over the states, and have resulted in bringing in many estimable and industrious citizens and home-builders. They have used their capital liberally in this advertising of the agricultural possibilities of Wichita county, especially the irrigated lands. Mr. Bean is one of the foremost citizens of Wichita Falls, takes an active part in public affairs, and is a level-headed and public-spirited business man.
Mr. Bean was born at Jackson, Michigan, in 1866, being a son of O. W. and Jennie (Butler) Bean. His father was born in western New York, but at the age of three years went with his parents to Jackson county, Michigan, which was then a wilderness. His youngest brother, in fact, was the first white child born in Jackson county. After attaining to manhood be became a manufacturer in Jackson, and lived there until the spring of 1884, when he brought his family to the new town of Wichita Falls, Texas, where he engaged in the mercantile business, and where he lived till his death. His wife, who was born in Niagara Falls, New York, now lives at Wichita Falls.
Mr. C. W. Bean was reared and received his education at Jackson and Tecumseh, Michigan. He became acquainted with the details of the mercantile business while still a boy, and was in the mercantile business until 1894 with the exception of four years spent as assistant in the county tax collector’s office. In 1894 he and Mr. A. D. Andersonbecame partners in the real estate business, which has been carried on with such excellent results to the present time.
In January, 1900, Mr. Bean was elected the first mayor of Wichita Falls following the adoption of the new incorporation charter, which went into effect at the same time. In April of the same year he was elected at the regular spring election to the mayoralty, and by successive re-elections served in 1901, 1902 and 1903, his last term expiring in April, 1904, at which time he was compelled to relinquish official cares because of the press of his private business.
Since coming to Texas Mr. Bean has married. Mrs. Bean was in the maidenhood Miss Maud Chilton, and she is one of the popular ladies of Wichita Falls. They have three children: Jennie, Kenneth and Ethel.
Source: B. B. Paddock, History and Biographical Record of North and West Texas, Vol. II (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1906), p. 119.