Charles Ludwig Messer was born in Rensselaerville, New York on January
4, 1890 and was a life-long resident of the Albany, New York.

His father, George, enlisted with Co. E, 25th New York Militia on April
19, 1861 as a private and mustered out on August 4, 1861. He was a
Comrade with the Grand Army of the Republic.

Charles joined the Jacob H. TenEyck Camp No. 154 in August of 1906. In 1948 he was elected as the New York Department Commander. At the 1959 National Encampment, he was elected Junior Vice Commander-in-Chief. At the 1960 National Encampment, Charles and Thomas A. Chadwick (VT) were nominated for Commander-in-Chief with Brother Chadwick winning by a 55 to 39 vote; Charles was subsequently elected as Senior Vice Commander-in-Chief. At the time of his death, he was serving as
Commander-in-Chief and Chester S. Shriver filled his remaining term.

Charles was a veteran of WWI. He was a Past Commander of the American Legion, a Past Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and a Past Commander of the Army and Navy Union.

He was a welder for the New York Central Railroad and worked as a maintenance man at Thatcher Park.

Charles married Marie Irving and they had no children. After her death in 1939, he married Lillian Dedrick and she was the New York Department President of the Auxiliary to the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War during 1955.

Brother Messer died on May 3, 1962 and is buried at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Colonie, New York.