Charles Holt reported the proceedings of the first Constitutional Convention for the Milwaukee Sentinel, then the only daily paper in the territory of Wisconsin, furnishing three letters weekly, which was all the mail facilities then permitted. His ancestry were of Connecticut origin. He was born in Herkimer, Herkimer county, New York, March 5,1817; received a good common school education; and his occupation during life has been that of printer, reporter and editor. He removed to Madison, Wisconsin, in May, 1846; was elected treasurer of Dane county in 1847; removed to Janesville in 1848, and published the Gazette for a period of fifteen years thereafter. He was married February 28, 1849, to Ellen Field. Was register of deeds of Rock county in 1858. Removed thence to Quincy, Illinois, and for several years published the Whig. Later, he removed to Kankakee, Illinois, where he now resides, and has for many years published the Gazette.

The work of Mr. Holt in the convention was carried on under every condition of personal discomfort, as not even a seat could be obtained on the floor of the assembly hall, and his notes had to be taken in the gallery on loose sheets held in the hand, and written out afterwards as chance offered; yet the minutes of the proceedings were full, accurate and complete. For this labor (and we record it for the information of the profession generally) his compensation was four dollars and fifty cents weekly — about the average daily pay for the same services at the present time.

Mr. Holt, both as reporter and editor, has ever been noted as a careful, dignified and fluent writer, a genial companion and worthy citizen. He holds a high rank among the pioneers of the press in the west.