Charles Stanford (April 26, 1819 Watervliet (now Colonie), Albany County, New York – August 24, 1885) was an American merchant, newspaper publisher and politician from New York.
He attended the common schools, Prattsburg Academy, and Clinton Liberal Institute.
During the early 1850s, he and his brothers, among them future Governor Leland Stanford (1824–1893), went to California, and opened a trading company there.
Charles later returned to New York, being in charge of the East Coast branch of the company.
In 1861, he settled on a farm in Niskayuna, Schenectady County, New York.