Charles Montague Bist (1870 - 1945)

Born 28 Oct 1870 in Forest Hill, Lewisham, Kent, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Wilhelmina Fanny (Gerner) Kelly — married 2 Nov 1907 in Buffalo, Erie, New York, United States

Descendants

Died 19 Aug 1945 at age 74 in 6016 Esplanade Avenue, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

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Overview

Charles Montague Bist was born in London, one of 12 children. The family moved to Manchester when he was a young child. Charles became a lithographer and moved to Leicester where he worked. Charles fathered a son in Leicester (Charles Montague Middleton), but for reasons unknown, was not listed on the birth certificate and the child, named after him, was born in the Union Workhouse in Billesden. Charles moved to America and began a new life there, working as a lithographer. He married and had a further 4 children. The family moved to Canada between birth of child 2 and 3, ultimately to Montreal by 1917, where he lived out his days, dying at age 75.

There is a detailed collection of photos and detailed timeline for Charles on FamilySearch available at FamilySearch

Biography

Charles was born in 1870 In Forest Hill, London, the 9th of what would be 12 children of Alfred Thomas Bist (bef.1835-1925) and Elizabeth Jane (Matthias) Bist (1836-1910). ^{[1] [2]}

The following year, the 1871 census records that his father Alfred was a butcher and the family of 10 lived in Lewisham, now a borough of London. ^[3]

By 1872 when the next child was born, the family had moved to Manchester and in 1881 were living at 163 Church Street, Salford and father Alfred was a foreman plumber. ^[4]

In 1891, the family were living in Moss Side, Lancaster. Charles was age 20 and his occupation was as a lithographic artist. He was living with his sisters Lizzie and Kate, next door to his parents and 2 siblings. ^[5]

By 1898, Charles was a lithographer at a printing press in Leicester (Johnson and Goodwin, Marble Street). On 26 February 1898, Charles gave evidence at a hearing, after one of the apprentices died in an accident at work. ^[6]

On the 1901 Census, Charles was lodging at Fred and Eileen Shaw's house at 2 Stretton Road Leicester. This was the same house where Rose Middleton was working as a servant. Rose gave birth to their son, Charles Montague Middleton on 27 December 1902. This link has since been confirmed through DNA from Charles Middleton's offspring linking to Charles Bist's family in Canada. ^[7]

Rose did not list Charles as father on the birth certificate. However, years later, Charles Middleton listed his father as a lithographic artist, 'Charles Montague Middleton' on his marriage certificate.

The Leicester Mercury Newspaper reported an "affiliation" case in the courts: "Rose Ann Middleton, single, Central-road v. Charles Montague Bist, lithographic artist, Market-place. - Mr. Hincks appeared for complainant and Mr. Wm. Simpson for the defendant. - An order was made for payment of 5s a week until the child is 16 years of age and costs." ^[8]

"Bist and Hudson", Photo Engravers, Lithographic Artists and Designers of Market Street Leicester, dissolved their partnership on 8 May, 1903 and Charles left for North America, presumably around that time. ^[9]

There are no records to show where and when Charles entered North America, however the 1905 census recorded that he had been in the USA for 2 years. Charles already had family in the USA. He moved to the same general area as his cousin Walton Leigh who was also in the printing trade. Walton was a printer living in Ingersoll, Ontario, about 200km from Buffalo, where Charles was living in 1904 at 130W Mohawk, Buffalo. Charles' brother Sidney had also immigrated to New York City in 1890. ^[10]

In 1905 Charles was listed in the Directory at 141 W Chippewa, Buffalo, and was a lithographer. ^[11]

It wasn't all work. Charles was in the chorus of "by far the best minstrel performance ever put on in the city of Buffalo", according to The Buffalo Enquirer. ^[12]

In the same year the newspaper also featured a photo of Charles, as an officer of the local branch of the lithographer's association. ^[13]

In 1907, Charles was a photo engraver living at 348 Franklin in Buffalo. ^[14] In 1908 and 1909, Charles was a transferer and lived at 168 Fargo Ave, Buffalo. ^[15]

The 1910 census listed Charles as being married to Wilhelmina Gerner and they had a son, Alfred Charles Bist aged 1. ^[16] In 1910 and 1911, Charles was a lithographer and lived at 240 Plymouth Ave Buffalo. ^[17]

In 1912 the family lived at 314 E Delavan Ave, Buffalo. ^[18]

Their daughter Wilhelmina Fanny Bist was born on 16 December 1914 in Toronto Hospital. ^[19]

By 1921, the family had moved to Laurier-Montreal, Quebec and had grown to include Charles and his wife Wilhelmina, and children Alfred, Philip, Wilhelmina and George.

By 1940, Charles was listed as invalid and was living with his wife and three of the children at 5579 Waverley Street Montreal. ^[20]

Charles passed away in 1945. ^[21] He is buried at Cimetière Mont-Royal, Outremont, Montreal Region, Quebec, Canada, Plot G 1553-D. ^[22]

Sources

1. ↑ Civil Births Register, 1870. Charles Montague Bist, Lewisham Vol 1d Page 832
2. ↑ General Register Office, Birth Certificate. Charles Montague Bist, born 28 October 1870 at 2 Park Rd Forest Hill, Sydenham; son of Alfred Thomas Bist, master butcher and Elizabeth Jane Bist, formerly Matthias.
3. ↑ 1871 census RG 10 772 Page 70 or 43.
4. ↑ 1881 Census
5. ↑ 1891 Census
6. ↑ Leicestershire Chronicle, 26 Feb 1898, Saturday Page 10 "The Shocking Accident in a Leicester Printing Office".
7. ↑ 1901 Census
8. ↑ Leicester Mercury 24 March 1903
9. ↑ 1903 London Gazette, May 12 Page 3023
10. ↑ Buffalo Directory
11. ↑ Buffalo Directory
12. ↑ The Buffalo Enquirer (Buffalo, New York) 21 Dec 1906, Friday - page 13
13. ↑ The Buffalo Times (Buffalo, New York) · 29 Jan 1906, Mon · Page 4
14. ↑ Buffalo Directory 1907
15. ↑ 1908 Buffalo Directory
16. ↑ 1910 Census
17. ↑ 1910 Buffalo Directory
18. ↑ 1912 Buffalo Directory
19. ↑ Wilhelmina Fanny Bist, daughter of Wilhelmina F. Gerner and Charles M Bist of 831 Bathurst Rd.
20. ↑ 1940 Census
21. ↑ The Gazette; Publication Date: 21 Aug 1945; Publication Place: Montreal, Quebec, Canada; URL: https://www.newspapers.com/image/419892469/?article=5077bcda-8a86-4ce7-ae46-c2ded3b9785f&focus=0.041669417,0.17039673,0.16278447,0.22881179&xid=3355
22. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images [1]: accessed 18 June 2022), memorial page for Charles Montague Bist (unknown–19 Aug 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 108991371, citing Cimetière Mont-Royal, Outremont, Montreal Region, Quebec, Canada .

Research Notes

Everything except for the marriage date of Charles and Wilhelmina is based on source data. If you are a relative and wish further information or find any inaccuracies in this profile, please contact me through clicking the "send private message" link next to the Profile Manager, found under the biographical dates and details at the top of this profile.