Bio of WAINMAN, Charles P. (b.1846), Hennepin Co., MN
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EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; 
Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. 
Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); 
volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical

Vol II, pg 677-678
CHARLES P. WAINMAN
With the development of telephone service in the Northwest Charles P. Wainman
was actively connected for many years as an official of various telephone
companies. He was identified with the Northwestern Telephone Exchange Company
from 1891 and was filling the position of general manager and vice president at
the time of his death, which occurred October 11, 1912. He was then sixty-six
years of age, his birth having occurred in Utica, New York, in 1846. His
 were natives of England and,
coming to the new world, established their home in Utica, where their son,
Charles P., was reared and educated. He left the high school to join the Union
army at the beginning of the Civil war and went to the front, participating in
many of the engagements which led up to the final victory that crowned the Union
arms. For two years he was a member of the Second New York Heavy Artillery and
was wounded in the battle of Cold Harbor on the 3d of June, 1864.
When the country no longer needed his services Mr. Wainman returned to his home
in Utica and was there engaged in the dry goods business for a time. He also
served as postmaster for several years. In early manhood he worked as a
telegraph operator and in 1875 he became manager of the American District
Telegraph Company at Cleveland, Ohio. From that time forward until his demise he
was connected with telegraph and telephone service. He planned the first
telephone exchange west of New York and he invented the first telephone
switchboard used in America and presented the invention to the American District
Telegraph Company, which still utilizes it with but slight changes. From 1877
until 1880 he filled a position as electrician with the Cleveland Telephone
Company and in the latter year became man­ager and superintendent of the
company, continuing to act in that capacity until 1886. During the succeeding
five years he was general superintendent of the Northwestern Telephone Exchange
Company at Minneapolis and in 1904 he was advanced to the position of general
manager, so continuing until his life's labors were ended in death. Following
his removal to the Northwest he became closely associated with the develop­ment
and improvement of telephonic service throughout this section of the country. He
was vice president and general manager of the Duluth Telephone Company, also of
the Mesaba Telephone Company, and a director of the Minnesota Central Telephone
Company. He was also the vice president of the Albert Lea Telephone Company and
one of the directors of the Litchfield Telephone Company. He studied closely the
situation in the Northwest as regarding the possibilities for telephone
extension and contributed in substantial measure to the growth and improvement
of the telephone system throughout this section of the country. His early
experience proved to him of much value and from the faithful performance of each
day's duties he found inspira­tion, strength and encouragement for the labors of
the succeeding day. Thus gradually he enlarged his interests, constantly
reaching out until his name was well known in connection with the telephone
business of the Northwest. C. P. Wainman Chapter of the Telephone Pioneers of
America was named in his honor and E. A. Prendergast was chosen president
thereof. The society is dedicated to the furtherance of esprit de corps in the
telephone industry, to the memory of the traditions established by its pioneers,
and to helpfulness for the industry in the future. The principal office of the
chapter is in the Minneapolis main building of the Northwestern Bell Telephone
Company.
In 1877 Mr. Wainman was united in marriage to Miss Clara Cadman, a daughter of
Charles E. and Martha (Merchant) Cadman of Cleveland, Ohio, the latter a
daughter of Ahaz Merchant, who was one of the early settlers of Cleveland and
laid out the city. There he built the Angier Hotel and was very prominent in
connection with the pioneer development and progress of Ohio's metropolis. To
Mr. and Mrs. Wainman were born two daughters, Edwina and Maud, the latter the
wife of Dr. L. L. Williams of St. Paul.
Mr. Wainman attended the Park Avenue church and his family are of the
Epis­copalian faith. In politics he was a lifelong republican, marching under
the banner of that party until death. He was well known in club circles,
belonging to the Com­mercial and Minneapolis clubs, to the Long Meadow Gun Club,
the Town and Country Club, the St. Paul Club and to the Kitchi Gammi Club of
Duluth. He proudly wore the little bronze button that proclaimed him a .member
of Rawlins Post, G. A. R., of Minneapolis. He was ever as true and loyal to his
country as when he followed the nation's starry banner on the battle fields of
the south, and in days of peace he supported her interests by his allegiance to
all those activities which contributed to civic progress and improvement.