He was a nephew and namesake of Charles Anderson Dana, the editor and part owner of The New York Sun.

Dana first gained publicity for his work as assistant prosecutor under William T. Jerome during the trial of Harry Kendall Thaw, the murderer of architect Stanford White in 1907.

[6] Before their divorce in April 1938, they were the parents of two children:[7] His second marriage was to Eleanor (née Naylor) Stafford (1907–1982) in Texas in August 1940.

[13] Eleanor, a daughter of W. H. Naylor of Carthage, Texas, was previously married to David Tarlton Stafford.

[14] Together, they were the parents of two sons and two daughters, including: Dana died on November 27, 1975, at Wilton, Connecticut and was buried at Pine Hill Cemetery in Brandon, Vermont.