Charles Frederick Grettenberger was born 8 September 1872, Meridian Township, Ingham County, Michigan. He was the son of German immigrant, Karl Charles Friedrich Grettenberger and wife, Elizabeth Cath Sattler. One of three siblings, Charles was an enrolled student at Okemos Union School in 1888.

According to the 1900 US Federal Census for Ingham County, Michigan, Charles at age 27 was a bachelor, living at home and was working on his father's farm. In the 1910 census Charles was found living in the household next to his parent's, married and farming on his own account. On 5 June 1909, Lansing, Ingham County, Charles had wed Maitie Louise Mills. Maitie, was the youngest daughter of Ira and Huldah (Cameron) Mills. Born in Ingham County, 15 October 1887, Maitie too had lived on a farm, later she and family moved into Lansing where her father Ira, for a number of years, worked in the shipping room at REO Motor Car Company.

Tragedy had struck the Mills family in 1901. On the 26th of December, Huldah Mills and 16-year-old daughter, Kitty, hitched up the horse and buggy and headed out mid-morning to do some shopping in Lansing. They were in the midst of the Grand Trunk railroad crossing, situated on a curve and with a deep cut obstructing view, when struck by incoming No. 9 train. Both mother and daughter were thrown 30 feet and died at the scene. Local residents would later testify at inquest that the electric signal bell that warned of approaching trains was not in working order and for whatever reason neither Huldah or her daughter heard or saw the train approaching at 30 miles an hour. The only two witnesses, the locomotive engineer and a young local boy, could not testify as to exactly what happened. A lawsuit was pursued by Ira Mills and in an out of court settlement was reached in 1904.

The marriage of Charles and Maitie Grettenberger did not last. According to records, a divorce ensued and was granted to Maitie, 8 November 1921, Ingham County, for "extreme & repeated cruelty." There were no children. Maitie resumed her maiden name, moved to East Lansing and purchased a small two-story home at 824 Riverview. She would live there until her death 13 October 1967. Maitie was employed as a secretary-bookkeeper for many years at a local insurance office. Her father lived with her before his passing in 1934. Maitie was interred with her parents and sister, Kitty, Glendale Cemetery, Okemos.

After his divorce from Maitie, Charles moved and was employed at a couple different places within the Williamston, Ingham County area. He worked as a clerk and then for the last dozen or so years before his untimely death at age 65, 22 January 1938, he was employed at Barrett Clothing Store in Williamston. And it was while at work that he suffered a fatal heart attack. Charles was interred Summit Cemetery, Williamston, Ingham County.

Mills, Maitie (married Charles Frederick Grettenberger 1909) family fatal accident, Lansing State Journal, 16 December 1901 

Mills, Maitie (married Charles Frederick Grettenberger 1909) family fatal accident The Lansing Journal 27 December 1901

Mills, Maitie (married Charles Frederick Grettenberger 1909) family fatal accident, The Lansing Journal, 02 December 1904 

Grettenberger, Charles F. (married Maitie Louise Mills 1909) obit, Lansing State Journal, Sunday, January 23, 1938

Mills, Maitie Louise (married Charles F. Grettenberger 1909 divorced 1921) obit, Lansing State Journal, Saturday, October 14, 1967