The personality of Charles R. Flint does not suggest the strenuous
nature of his life, past and present; yet but few men in this country
have shouldered or for that matter are shouldering so many business
responsibilities as he is doing—and of large caliber at that. Mr.
Flint’s successes on the lines indicated are due to system, and
system only. With him there is a place for each responsibility and
each responsibility occupies its place in the total scheme of his
business existence. He was born at Thomaston, Maine, January 24, 1850,
graduated from the Polytechnic institute, Brooklyn, in 1868, and in
1883 married E. Kate, daughter of Joseph F. Simmons, of Troy, N. Y. To
catalogue the industries and enterprises which Mr. Flint has organized
or is connected with would be an undertaking in itself. Suffice it that
he is prominently identified with the rubber and lumber industries,
is interested in street railways in New York state, is a director in
several banks, has organized iron and steel, steamship, starch, caramel
and general export companies, has acted as United States consul in
Central American countries, in 1893 fitted out a fleet of war vessels
for the Brazilian republic, bought for and delivered to Japan a cruiser
during the China-Japan war, and, in 1898, was the confidential agent of
the United States in negotiating for the purchase of war vessels.