Born in Brattleboro, Vermont. Received B.A. from Yale in 1899. Married Edith Harris Newell December 31, 1900. She died in 1952. They had three children.

Elected Alderman in Lake Forest, Illinois 1908 to 1909. Served as Mayor 1910 to 1911.

Childs moved to Chicago in 1904. He managed the office of Fisk & Robinson, bankers until 1910. Manager of bond department Continental and Commercial Trust & Savings, Bank of Chicago 1910 to 1911. President of C. F. Childs & Co, specialists in U. S. government bonds 1911 to 1928 and 1930 to 1955. Co-founder of Investment Bankers Association of America. Founder and president of Childs Securities Corporation. Author of works on bonds and securities. He died in Lake Forest, Illinois.

Childs bought the 1804 dollar previously in the collection of Virgil Brand from Armin Brand via R. Green for $5000 in 1945. The coin remained with the Childs family. The Numismatist listed his death in their membership report September 1955 but did not print an obituary.

bio: WWWA-3 obit: NYT 3/16/55