Charles Arthur Siler was born October 3, 1883 in Sarcoxie township, Jefferson County, Kansas. He was a middle son of Augustus Charles and Elizabeth (Snite) Siler, whose other children included Edward Henry, Frank William, Cora, Lillie Agnes, Nora Emma, and George Albert. Siler attended the University of Kansas, earning a Ba and medicine degree before further pursuing a degree in Physical Education through the Young Men's Christian Association (Ymca) in 1912. Siler attended KU while James Naismith was there and, with his interest in sports, became involved in the early days of basketball, playing with Phog Allen himself. Siler took an intenstive two-year language training course in Chinese after arriving in China to work with the Ymca Ministry. He traveled to many cities, teaching classes and basketball/refereeing during his time in the country. In 1912, Siler met and started corresponding with Marion Louise Pierce, who had been born in 1888 in Chicago, Il, before he left for China. After she graduated in 1916 from Rush Medical School, she traveled to Japan to meet Siler. They married there in June 1916. Their first two children, George Bensley and Marion Louise, were born in China, after which in 1919 the Silers returned to the United States for their children's education, living in Chicago. They had Charles Abbott in Chicago, and their last two children, David and Margaret, were born in China after the family returned in 1922. After returning to China, Charles Siler opened his own medical practice and played on the civilian basketball league team from 1922 to 1928. The family returned to the United States in 1928 and took up residence in Oak Park, Illinois.