Tufts was born in
Medford, Massachusetts, the son of Abigail and Daniel Tufts. He was a descendant of
Peter Tufts, an early colonist who came to America from England circa 1637. He received a common-school education. He made a fortune through his brickmaking factory, and inherited a large amount of land. Tufts donated of land in Medford for what was to be named
Tufts University. In time, Charles Tufts donated another , bringing the campus area to . He married Hannah Robinson in 1821, but had no children. He died in
Somerville, Massachusetts, which is also home to part of the Tufts University campus, and was buried in
Mount Auburn Cemetery in
Cambridge. ==Legacy==