Charles Henry Gaus was an American businessman and politician.

Life

He was born of German

Germans

The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....

 parents in Ohio, but the family moved to Brooklyn, New York when he was two years old. In 1857 he went to Albany, New York

Albany, New York

Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...

, and worked at his uncle's drugstore

Pharmacy

Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...

. He fought in the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

. In 1874, he opened his own drugstore on the corner of Washington Av. and Lark St. in Albany.

Gaus was an expert marksman

Marksman

A marksman is a person who is skilled in precision, or a sharpshooter shooting, using projectile weapons, such as with a rifle but most commonly with a sniper rifle, to shoot at long range targets...

, winning the Wimbledon Cup

Wimbledon Cup

The Wimbledon Cup is a marksmanship trophy that was established in the 1870s.It is awarded annually during the National Rifle & Pistol Matches which are held at Camp Perry, Ohio....

 in 1889, 1890, 1891 and 1892.

In Albany, he was at times a supervisor, School Commissioner, City Street Commissioner and City Assessor, and was Mayor from 1902 to 1908. He was New York State Comptroller

New York State Comptroller

The New York State Comptroller is a state cabinet officer of the U.S. state of New York. The duties of the comptroller include auditing government operations and operating the state's retirement system.-History:...

 from January 1, 1909, until his death, elected in 1908. He was ill most of the time, and First Deputy Comptroller Otto Kelsey

Otto Kelsey

Otto Goodell Kelsey was an American lawyer and politician.-Life:...

 actually ran the office.

Gaus died from pneumonia

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...

 during a vacation at a hunting lodge on the preserve of the Bourbinnais-Kiamika Club on Long Lake in the Laurentian Mountains

Laurentian mountains

The Laurentian Mountains are a mountain range in southern Quebec, Canada, north of the St. Lawrence River and Ottawa River, rising to a highest point of 1166 metres at Mont Raoul Blanchard, north east of Quebec City in the Reserve Faunique des Laurentides. The Gatineau, L'Assomption, Lièvre,...

. He was buried at Albany Rural Cemetery

Albany Rural Cemetery

The Albany Rural Cemetery was established October 7, 1844, in Menands, New York, just outside of the city of Albany, New York. It is renowned as one of the most beautiful, pastoral cemeteries in the United States, at over . Many historical American figures are buried there.-History:On April 2,...

.

Sources

• http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9F00E3DB1630E733A25752C0A9679D946897D6CF Obit in NYT, on November 1, 1907
• The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Gatesman to Gayheart at politicalgraveyard.com Political Graveyard