History of Fort Allen, (Westmoreland County) Pennsylvania United States of America

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Charles Cist, publisher, was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Aug. 15, 1738; son of Jacob and Anna Maria (Thomassen) Cist. He was graduated at Halle as doctor of medicine and immigrated to the United States in 1778, settling in Philadelphia, Pa., where he formed a copartnership with Melchior Steiner, and set up a publishing and printing business. Among other documents issued by this firm during the Revolutionary war was Paine's "American Crisis." During the war he was enrolled as a member of the 3rd battalion of Pennsylvania militia. He began the publication of the American Herald in 1784 and of the Columbian magazine in 1787. He was appointed April 11, 1778, by resolution of congress sitting at Yorktown, one of the commissioners to sign the continental currency, some of which he was afterward obliged to redeem. He was the discoverer of anthracite coal and subjected himself to ridicule and even violence by attempting to introduce the use of the same. Under the administration of President John Adams he was made public printer and established his printing office and bindery in Washington, D. C. He was married June 7, 1781, to Mary, daughter of John Jacob and Rebecca Weiss of Philadelphia, Pa. Subsequently he returned to Philadelphia. He died at Fort Allen, Pa., Dec. 1, 1805.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Fort Allen, (Westmoreland County) Pennsylvania

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