Charles Roscoe Savage was born in Southampton, England, 16 August 1832 to John and Ann Savage. Young Charles spent many of his early years helping younger brothers and sisters and did not receive enough schooling to learn to read and write. He remedied this lack of education, as he grew older.

Savage became interested in both photography and "Mormonism" when he met missionary Thomas B. H. Stenhouse. Stenhouse took many photographs and it was Stenhouse's hobby that peaked young Charles Savage's interest. At the age of sixteen Savage joined the Mormon Church. After serving a mission to Switzerland he traveled to the United States serving as an interpreter for a company of Italian and Swiss church members. He worked in New York City as a stationer for two years before moving west.

Savage started his first photography business in Florence, Nebraska in 1859. He used an old gray blanket as a backdrop and a tea chest for a darkroom. He arrived in Salt Lake City in August 1860 and, with Marsena Cannon, opened a photograph business Main Street. He became a leader in introducing new processes and devices in photography. His business grew rapidly and he started traveling throughout the Rocky Mountain West taking pictures. He won first place prizes at exhibitions at world fairs in Chicago, St. Louis, San Francisco, and Portland.

Savage encouraged painting and other artwork and maintained a gallery of paintings in connections with his place of business. Fire destroyed most of his priceless negatives on 23 June l883. He took pictures of people, cities and towns, resorts, canyons, buildings, monuments and markers, surrounding states.

Savage, through his affiliation with the Mormon Church, became the chief instigator of the "Old Folk" excursions held annually beginning in 1875. A monument dedicated to Savage is located at the northwest former of South Temple and Main Street. Savage died in his home in Salt Lake City, 3 February 1909 at the age of 76.