Born Johannes Carl Charles Weist, he was known commonly as Charles Weist. Born at Narre Warren around 1859, Charles Weist, lived basically his whole life in the Dandenong district.
His parents were among the original selectors in the Police Paddocks on Gladstone Road, when it was at its original size, taking up land there when Charles was only 3 years old. Gowrie Park, as it was known, faced both Gladstone Road and the Dandenong Creek. Charles married Ida Pauline Erdman (who was also born in Narre Warren on 21 March 1858), in 1880.
His parents, who first settled the family farm on Gladstone Road, were Herman Gottlieb Weist and Monika Wilhelmine Kleinert. Sadly, his father died in the Kew Asylum (Metropolitan Lunatic Asylum) in 1901, he had been admitted to Kew Asylum on 17th Dec 1900, suffering from senile insanity (duration 1 year) and was in frail bodily health. Charles himself carried on farming pursuits at the family farm for years before retiring in the early 1920s, moving to the corner of Heatherton and Gladstone Roads. He later sold Gowrie Park in 1924.
His wife, Ida Pauline, passed away at 54 on the 4th of Jun 1912. In the late 1930s Charles became bed-ridden, but bore his long illness with great fortitude, until he died on the 2nd of July 1941. He had four sons, Albert Edward, Herman Henry, Frederick William, and Edward Allan who died in infancy. He also had three daughters, Ida Minna [Minnie Ida] (Mrs. Wanke, Gladstone Road, Dandenong), Emma Annie Anna, and Bertha Annie who died in infancy.
His funeral took place on Friday 4th July 1941, when he was interred in the family grave in the Dandenong Cemetery. Rev. A. R. Sinclair officiated. The pallbearers were Mr. F. Exner, E. Exner, L. Sutton, V. Nash, H. Wanke, H. Creagle, K. McLennan and H. Exner.
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