Birth Record: I don't have the original document, but the birth date is April 2, 1895. He was born in the town of Innerkip, in Blandford County, Ontario, Canada.
Marriage Record: He married Rilla Rockett on September 19, 1916 in Woodstock, Ontario.
From the Sentinel Review, Tuesday September 19, 1916. The heading is "Biddis-Rockett."
"A quiet wedding was solemnized at the Dundas Street Methodist Parsonage on Saturday evening when the Reverend Thomas Green united in marriage Miss Rilla Rockett of this city and Private Charles A. Biddis of the 168th Battalion, Camp Borden. They were attended by Miss Doris Plummer and Garfied Green."
Children with Rilla (Rockett) Biddis
01. Stanley
02. Beatrice
03. Grace
04. Joyce
05. Jessie
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Death Record: I have a copy of the death certificate: Mose died January 11, 1964 in the city of Flint, Genesee County, Michigan at the age of 68. He died from acute coronary occlusion caused by hypertensive cardio vascular disease at Hurley Hospital in Flint. He was born in Ontario, Canada on April 2, 1895, and lived in Flint for 41 years (which means he came here when he was 27). He was a contractor and worked for himself out of his home at 417 East Sherman. His father's name was Benjamin Biddis, and his Mother was Jane Small. The informant was Rilla Biddis, his wife. He was buried on January 14, 1964 in Sunset Hills Cemetery in Flint.
Obituary: From the Flint Journal (I think): Alfred C. (Mose): 417 E. Sherman St., age 68 died Saturday, January 11, 1964 at Hurley Hospital. Funeral services will be held at 1 PM Tuesday at Groves and Company Memorial Chapel, Garland at Third Ave. Rev Andrew A. Michelson officiating. Burial in Sunset Hills Cemetery. Mr Biddis will lie in state at Groves and Company Memorial Chapel. Death was due to complications following a sudden illness. Mr. Biddis was born in Canada on April 2, 1895, the son of Benjamin and Jane Small Biddis and had lived in Flint for the last 41 years ***, coming from Canada. Mr. Biddis married Rilla Rockett in Woodstock, Canada on September 16, 1916. He was a World war One veteran of Canada. Surviving are wife Mrs Rilla Biddis; 4 daughters Mrs. Beatrice Clapp; Mrs Grace Baldwin, Mrs. Jessiemae Harper, all of Flint, and Mrs. Joyce Dooley of Florida; son Stanley Biddis of Flint, 21 grandchildren, brother Benjamin Biddis of Innerkip, Ontario, canada, several nieces and nephews.
***This means that Mose left Canada and came to Flint in the early 1920's (1923 probably).
Church Records:
Family Bibles:
Cemetery Record:
Military Record/Draft Registration: He fought in World War One. I know this because I have his military pocket Bible and I found (on the internet) the exact papers he signed when he enlisted in the Canadian Army. The enlistment paper was signed in Woodstock, Canada on the 24th of February, 1916. He had to swear allegiance to "His Majesty King George the Fifth." He joined the "Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force." I know he was wounded and sent home (Mose was not shot in the leg, as I had thought he was hit with shrapnel from an explosion). The document on the web is in his own handwriting, when he was just 21 years old. He listed his next of kin as his mother Jane Biddis. Mose lists his occupation as machinist.
Mose's dad Ben Biddis had a brother named Charles Biddis, the very same name as my grandfather. He also fought in World War I. His enlistment papers are also on the web. Occupation: Carpenter (jack of all trades, handy man, self employed... this is my memory)
Educational Records (yearbooks, etc.):
Groups/clubs/Society Records:
Pictures; Audio Recordings; Documents; Personal Notes:
Spelling Variations: This has been the hardest surname to figure out. There are no active Biddis discussion groups. Google searches turn up very little. It must be that the name is a shortened version of something else. I did find a Biddiscomb which is a possible long version, but I have no verification. Also, I have seen a Biddis relative (Charles Biddis, my grandfather's uncle) use the last name "Biddess" on his World War One enlistment papers. On familysearch it comes up "Beddis" sometimes.
Most of his life (Alfred) Charles Biddis went by the first name of "Mose." On documents he referred to himself as "Charles," or as "A. Charles Biddis." His real name was "Alfred Charles Biddis", but looking at his brother and father, who also had first names beginning with "A," they all used their middle names and ignored the "A" name.
Addresses/Migration Record/Passenger Ships/City Directories: If the obituary is correct that he was in Flint 41 years, this means that Mose left Canada and came to Flint in 1923.
Canadian Census Record for 1901: The 1901 census for Blandford Township, Oxford County, Ontario lists: Benjamin Biddis, birth date November 6, 1869 age 31 born in England, year of immigration 1884. Lists Jane as also 31 and being born Aug 12, 1869, and being from Ontario. Lists Alexander B. Biddis as age 7, born July 21 1895, from Ontario. And lists my grandfather (Mose) as Alfred C. Biddis age 5, born in Ontario on April 2, 1895.
Canadian Census Record 1911 (Mose is 15/16):
Canadian Census Record 1921 (Mose is 25/26):
United States Census Record 1930 (Mose is 35):
LDS Search: The only thing that shows up is the social security death index which verifies his date of birth and date of death. I searched for Canada and for Michigan.
Gedcom Search: There is a great deal here. Gedcom records from Elizabeth Archer contain the following wealth of information. The parents of Alfred Charles Biddis were Alexander Benjamin Biddis (born in England, no birth or death indicated) and Jane Small (born August 14, 1869, and died in Innerkip, Ontarion in 1934). They were married May 24, 1893. No list of Ben's parents, but for Jane Small the father is Matheson Small (born December 1836 in Canada) and Jane Bell (born March 29, 1844 in Canada). Matheson and Jane were married March 1, 1866 in Oxford County, Ontario. Matheson's parents are Thomas Small (born about August 3, 1806, died June 19, 187, age 70 years, 10 months, 16 days7) and Elizabeth Sparrow (born about 1812, died February 16, 1894, age 82 years). Jane Bell's parents were William Bell and Sarah McAlister. William and Sarah were from Ireland.
Rootsweb Surname Search:
Ancestry Plus Search:
(í PERSI Search:
Location Descriptions (The places, political boundaries):
Time Line Descriptions (Culture, technology, conditions, major events of the era):
Current Focus:
01. Find out how to get copies of birth records from Innerkip, Ontario? (get it on microfilm, from Hoyt?)
02. Do a history of the First Canadian Expeditionary Force.
03. Is there a record of Mose getting a metal for his war wounds. Did he get a pension? Was he a member of a veteran's organization?
04. Fill in birth dates for the kids
05. Locate the 1911, and 1921 Canadian Census, and the 1930 US Census.
