Charles John Bisig (1875-1952)

Mr. and Mrs. Charles J. Bisig	Charles John Bisig	Charles John Bisig
with sons	Bisig family	Charles and Oscar Bisig
home and shop

Charles John Bisig was born in Pendleton, Indiana (Madison County), April 4, 1874.* He had a sister Rose (Rosalia), born in 1877. His father was John (Johann) Bisig and his mother was Franziska (Frances) Bisig. They were from Switzerland and spoke German. They moved to Des Moines, Iowa, and were there during the 1880 census; Charles was seven and Rose was six. (The census records have Charles listed as "Carl.") Then they went back to Indiana and settled in or near Lowell, as that is where Rose and Charles went to school. John Bisig was a wagon body maker and passed the trade on to his son.

My grandmother and grandfather were married in Joliet on Oct. 4th, 1900. My grandfather had a business in Lowell for about 14 years. It was a woodworking shop. I believe my grandfather sold the building because by then automobiles were coming out and there was not much call for wagon builders anymore.

My grandmother said they lived next door to the Opry House for a while. One photo of Charles John Bisig has "deliver to house next door to Opry house" written on the back. They also lived on Main Street, real close to Grant Street, where other relatives lived. My father showed me the house he was born in when I was little, and that was on Main Street. It was torn down later, but I don't know when. My aunt and two uncles were born there also.

* NOTE -- Although Mrs. Gereg puts the birthdate of her grandfather as April 4, 1874, his obituary lists his birth date as April 11, 1875. Cemetery records at the Lowell Public Library indicate that his headstone, in row C46 of the Lowell Cemetery, also lists his dates as 1875-1952.

Children of Charles John Bisig and Elizabeth Theresa "Bessie" Peterson:

NAME	BORN	DIED	MARRIED	SPOUSE
Harold Owen Bisig	Nov. 12, 1902	May 1968	--	--
Helen Orlena Bisig	Mar. 28, 1903	Nov. 11, 1993	--	Allen Horner
Elmer H. Bisig	May 10, 1905	June 8, 1996	--	Erna
Charles Kermit Bisig	June 17, 1910	Apr. 1984	--	--

MEMORIAL SERVICES HELD FOR FORMER RESIDENT

Memorial services were held last Wednesday afternoon at the Sheets funeral home for Charles J. Bisig, 76, who passed away at his home in Glenwood, Ill. Rev. E.L. Worley officiated at the services and interment was in the Lowell cemetery.

Charles Bisig was born April 11, 1875, in Indiana, and came to Lowell with his parents as a child. His father built a wagon shop where Sunderland Pontiac now stands, and as a young man Charles was associated in business with his father and was actively interested in civic affairs.

On October 10, 1900, he was married to the former Elizabeth Peterson of Lowell. After leaving here, the Bisigs spent two years in Kankakee, Ill., and 28 years in Chicago Heights, moving from there to Glenwood, where the family has since resided.

Surviving with his wife are their four children, Harold of Warsaw, Ind., Mrs. Helen Horner of Glenwood, Elmer of Homewood, Ill., and Charles, Jr., of Glenwood; also eight grandchildren and a host of friends.