Nash was born to a farming family in DeKalb, Illinois. He worked his way up from a poor farm-hand to a shepherd to the owner of hay bailing machinery, then moved to Flint, Michigan where he became a supervisor at a carriage factory in 1890.
In 1897 he had a chance to drive an early automobile, and became very interested in the commercial potential of this young device.
Nash co-founded Buick Motor Company with David D. Buick and William Durant, and in 1908 became Buick's president and general manager.
In 1910 he was hired as general manager of General Motors. He put this previously debt-ridden company on secure financial footing, but his reluctance to pay dividends to shareholders resulted in Nash being voted out of his position in 1915.
Charles Nash then resolved to never again work for someone else. He bought out the Jeffery-Rambler Motor Company in 1916 and in July of that year re-incorporated it as Nash Motors.
Nash Motors was very successful marketing cars to North America's middle class.
In addition to running Nash Motors, Charles Nash was also president of the luxury car company LaFayette Motors until that company was bought out by Nash Motors in 1924.
Charles W. Nash retired in 1936, and 12 years later died at the age of 84 in Beverly Hills, California.