40 Sioux City Academy of Science and Letters. 
term, performing his duties in an able and conscientious 
manner, he declined a renomination at the hands of his 
party. 
From the establishment of the Public Library Mr. 
Charles has been a library trustee continuously to the 
present time. He is also enrolled as a member of the 
State Historical Society of Iowa. These two facts illus- 
trate his literary tastes, which are also shown by his 
private library, which is one of the largest and choicest 
collections in the city, stocked with the masterpieces of 
science, history and religion. 
In 1895 there was organized at Sioux City the Floyd 
Memorial Association, the purpose of which was to com- 
memorate the name of Chas. Floyd, a Sergeant of the 
Lewis-Clark expedition. Of this association Mr. Charles 
was president from 1896 on until the erection of a beauti- 
ful $12,000 monument in 1900-1 marked the completion 
of its work. In this noble undertaking all agree that the 
most powerful single factor working for ultimate success 
was the ever faithful and resourceful President of the 
Association, Mr. John H. Charles. 
Sinee 1900 Mr. Charles has lived in retirement at his 
comfortable home on Pierce street. Here, surrounded by 
his books, specimens (of which several large cases are 
full), and souvenirs, he spends his time with his family 
and friends, of whom his house is the Mecca of a large 
number. During the past year he has spent considerable 
time dictating his memoirs, which promise to be exceed- 
ingly interesting, since his life was so intimately con- 
nected with the business of steamboating, now entirely 
a thing of the past. Mr. Charles was also a pioneer of 
Sioux City. Few are left. His comrades and associates 
of the older days are one by one passing away. Living 
in the present, yet dwelling largely in the past, Mr. 
Charles quietly, patiently awaits his turn. May his days 
among us of a newer age be multiplied. 
