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Passing of Annette St. Charles recalls family’s American Dream

By Sam Terry

Managing Editor

progress@jpinews.com

Annette St. Charles, 1918-2017

The passing of Annette St. Charles on April 8 completed another chapter in the story of Anthony and Augusta Navarra St. Charles’ American dream.  The 98-year old retired grocer and businesswoman was the last of her generation of a family that left an enduring mark on the history of Glasgow and surrounding communities.

The family’s pursuit of life, liberty, and prosperity can be traced to the 1880s.  Annette St. Charles’ father, Anthony, was born in 1884 – he believed he was born on a ship bound for the United States, although some records indicate he could have been born in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Indeed, Anthony’s parents Joseph and Biagia Bessie Longo Cianciola, immigrated to America in 1884, making it entirely possible he was born at sea.  At the time, the Sicilian family’s name was Cianciola but was changed years later by Anthony’s brother, Frank, to St. Charles with Anthony following suit.

Anthony St. Charles was a young man in his early 20s when he met Charlie Navarra in Cincinnati.  Navarra told young Anthony that he had a sister he wanted him to marry.  Anthony began corresponding with Augusta Navarra who was living in an orphanage in Sicily, Italy.

At the time, Augusta was a teenager whose father, Salvador Carlos Navarra – a veterinarian in Palermo, Italy – had died when she was two years old.  Augusta’s mother, Madeline de Maria Navarra, died three years later, landing her and her siblings – Nina, Maria, Charlie and Micheal – in an orphanage.

Augusta Navarra and Anthony St. Charles on their wedding day, January 19, 1905.

Tucked inside Anthony’s letters to Augusta was money to pay for her passage to America where she would become his wife.  According to granddaughter, Madeline St. Charles Hale, Anthony and Augusta had their first face-to-face meeting on their wedding day in January 1905.  As the story goes, each unknowingly walked down snow-covered sidewalks on opposite sides of the street and reached their destination, where they first met as they exchanged wedding vows.

Possessing a 3rd-grade education, Anthony worked in a machine shop for a time but was perhaps more influenced by his employment in a Cincinnati theatre.  His descendants recall that Anthony dreamed of being in the movies, an accomplishment that didn’t come to fruition. During World War I, he worked in the defense plant in Cincinnati.

The young couple had ten children beginning with Joseph St. Charles who was born in October 1905.  He was followed by Elizabeth “Bess” Blanch, who married Robert A. Clark; Charlie who married Bliss Reagan; Madeline, who died of Whooping Cough at age 2; Thomas, who died of pneumonia at age two months; Thomas, who married Sarah Hunt; Madeline, who married John F. Spradling; Annette St. Charles, who was born in 1918; Micheal Angelo, who married Joyce Firkins; and Frank who married Nancy Ezell.

The same year Annette St. Charles was born, Anthony and Augusta moved to Gallatin, Tennessee where they opened and operated a grocery store.  For a time, they lived in Nashville where Anthony worked in a wholesale warehouse before returning to Gallatin.  In 1928, the couple relocated for the last time, settling in Glasgow, Kentucky where Anthony and Frank opened St. Charles Fruit Store on East Washington Street behind Citizens National Bank.

Anthony St. Charles in his produce truck laden with fresh fruits and vegetables bound for his family business in Glasgow.

To keep the business supplied with fresh produce, Anthony drove a truck to Nashville two or three days a week to purchase fruits and vegetables.  On the return trip, he stopped at towns along the way and sold produce from the truck with the remainder making its way to Glasgow.  The business was the first in Glasgow to offer fresh fruits and vegetables year around.

St. Charles Market on North Race Street.

With the outbreak of World War II, all five of the St. Charles sons served in the U.S. armed forces.  Son Tommy had the distinction of being the first Kentucky soldier to vote an absentee election ballot when stationed overseas during the war.  Following the war, the family relocated the business to North Race Street and changed the name to St. Charles Market.  In the early 1960s the family built a warehouse on Samson Street where they operated St. Charles Produce until 1995.  St. Charles Market, last owned by Annette St. Charles, closed in 2003 after 75 years in business.

Three of the St. Charles children who were associated with the family business: Madeline St. Charles Spradling, Tommy St. Charles, and Annette St. Charles.

Over the decades, five of the St. Charles children – Tommy, Madeline, Annette, Micheal, and Frank – worked in both the store and the warehouse.  Frank had additional business interests including a car dealership and his own grocery store.

Besides their business, the family’s day to day living contributed to the fabric of Glasgow and Barren County in numerous ways.  Anthony St. Charles was a gifted musician and for a time he and three Glasgow ladies – Ann Wells, Bertie McGuire, and Christeen Snavely – performed as the ABC Band.  Fondly known to all as “Papa St. Charles,” Anthony played drums while Wells played the accordion, with McGuire at the keyboard, and Snavely playing spoons.

The ABC Band: Papa St. Charles, Christeen Snavely, Bertie McGuire, and Ann Wells.

Likewise, Augusta St. Charles came to be known in Glasgow as “Mama St. Charles” as she presided over the grocery store where she helped customers, dispensed advice, and was always ready to tell a tale and share a laugh.  According to her granddaughter, Tommie St. Charles Birge, Mama’s stories were known to become more sensational as she told them.

Hale recalls a woman shopping at the grocery telling Mama St. Charles she was the mother of 19 children.  Not to be outdone, Mama exclaimed that she had ten and would’ve had 19 if her husband hadn’t died.  In reality, Mama was a mature 79 at the time, widowed since Papa died at age 81 in 1965.

Nearly anyone who shopped at St. Charles Market knew Papa, Mama, and each of the children personally.  The store’s motto was “Quality, Courtesy, and Service,” all attributes shoppers of yesteryear recall.  The store accepted telephone orders for groceries which the store would deliver to the shopper’s door.  Similarly, the business extended credit by allowing customers to charge their purchases for which they were billed at the end of the month.

Son Micheal St. Charles worked in the family business but also distinguished himself as a student of the Civil War and an artist whose paintings depicted battle scenes and figures from the conflict.  His paintings hung above the shelves of the grocery store where they were admired by shoppers.  His namesake great nephew is Barren County Judge/Executive Micheal Hale, who is the last of a long line of Micheal’s in the family tree, all retaining the original spelling.

Annette St. Charles working in the family market.

As Glasgow and Barren County grew and progressed, so did the St. Charles family.  The third and fourth generations of the family to live in Glasgow helped with the family business in various capacities, but like most Americans, each pursued their own interests, dreams, and livelihoods.

Having nurtured her family’s legacy throughout her life and having held and a steadfast appreciation for the community that made it possible, Annette St. Charles was laid to rest last week alongside other family members at Glasgow Municipal Cemetery.

2 Comments

  1. Glea Gibson on April 24, 2017 at 8:52 am

    I married in 1979 at age 17 and lived across Cherry St on North Race St. my husband and I only had one vehicle and he worked. The St Charles family was so good to us letting me get our groceries each and every time we needed them and pay at the end of the month. I was not from Glasgow but from a small town about 12 miles away so I didn’t know anyone but my husbands family in Glasgow. The St Charles family quickly became my family and friends, if I wasn’t in the Market to see them by Wednesday each week they would actually call to make sure I was ok. My husband at the time worked out of town during the day so there were a lot of time spent at the St Charles Market, visiting others that would come in shopping or just hanging out with the St Charles family. It always amazed me the kindness they showed each and every person that came in and always calling them by name. I ask Mr St Charles one day how he remembered everyone’s name and his answer was, “it’s only courteous to know my customers names and everyone else that comes in here are perspective customers so I find out who they are”. He actually knew someone that was associated with every customer that came into the Market. I could go on and on about this family and how much they meant to a small town 17 year old girl they were priceless and precious to me. They opened their hearts and loved me helping me in any way they could from allowing me to charge groceries to helping me cut a window blind and everything in between. I so enjoyed my recipes they would have me to try, I was a new bride and my husband thought I was a pretty good cook but what he didn’t know on many occasions it was from the help of this family giving me many new ideas and family recipes. I’m thankful for this family that touched my life and have many fond memories of them they were truly in a class all by themselves. It’s a shame that there’s nothing like what the St Charles family did for Glasgow and surrounding areas around in this day in time this world would be a much better place if we had more people like this family that had caring hearts, the desire to make a difference in someone’s life and each day they came into the Market, and were truly genuine people. I’m very blessed to have known this family and to have been considered a friend. What a legacy this family has and I’m proud to have been a small part of their lives.

  2. cindy flanagan lamb on August 15, 2018 at 12:09 pm

    I lived on Cherry or the corner of either Main or Race, just down the street from the St. Charles market. Our house was a big stone house and I loved going to Happy Valley School. I would love to connect with anyone, maybe Glea Gibson on the status of that house and neighborhood and the school. Thanks so much!

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