Charity Lamb was born around 1818 in North Carolina. She received some education, as evidenced by her ability to read and write. In 1837, she married Nathaniel Lamb, a farmer, and they began their family together. By 1850, the couple resided in White County, Missouri, with their four children. Seeking new opportunities, the Lamb family embarked on the arduous journey along the Oregon Trail in 1852, eventually settling approximately 10 miles up the Clackamas River from Oregon City. There, they secured a land patent for 318 acres and expanded their family to include six children: Mary Ann and five sons.

Life on the frontier was fraught with challenges, and the Lamb family was no exception. Reports from the time indicate that Nathaniel was often abusive toward Charity. Their children later testified to witnessing instances where Nathaniel physically assaulted their mother, including punching, kicking, and even striking her with a hammer. Charity herself recounted that Nathaniel had attempted to poison her and frequently threatened her with firearms. These accounts paint a picture of a tumultuous and violent household, with Charity enduring years of domestic abuse.

On the evening of May 13, 1854, the Lamb family gathered for dinner in their modest cabin. As Nathaniel sat recounting his day's hunting exploits, Charity momentarily left the table, retrieved an axe from outside, and returned to deliver two fatal blows to the back of Nathaniel's head. He collapsed to the floor, gravely injured but still alive. Charity immediately fled the scene, seeking refuge at a neighbor's house half a mile away, where she was later found calmly smoking a pipe. When questioned by the constable, she expressed regret, stating she "did not mean to kill the critter, only intended to stun him."

Nathaniel succumbed to his injuries a week later. In the aftermath, rumors swirled about possible motives. Some speculated about a romantic involvement between Charity, her 17-year-old daughter Mary Ann, and a drifter named Collins. Allegedly, Nathaniel had discovered a letter to Collins, leading to heightened tensions within the household. However, the primary defense presented during Charity's trial centered on the years of abuse she endured. Her children testified about the physical violence their mother suffered, and Charity spoke of the constant threats to her life. Despite this, the jury found her guilty of second-degree murder on September 16, 1854, and she was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Charity spent the initial years of her sentence performing hard labor at the Oregon State Penitentiary, where she was the sole female inmate. In 1862, she was transferred to the Oregon Hospital for the Insane in Portland. Observers noted her demeanor as content, often seen knitting quietly. She remained there until her death in 1879, likely due to a stroke. Charity was buried in an unmarked grave at Lone Fir Cemetery in Portland, in a section that was later paved over around 1930.