Born in Glens Falls, New York, he sailed to Hawaii in 1846 at the age of 24, and made his home there, marrying into the royal family of the kingdom.

He served several monarchs in appointed positions in the kingdom, before its overthrow in 1893 by Americans from the United States and organization as the Territory of Hawaii.

Bishop was one of the first trustees of and a major donor to the Kamehameha Schools, founded by his late wife's request to provide education to Hawaiian children.

Their father Samuel Bishop died when Charles was four, and the boy was taken in by his grandfather on his 125-acre (0.51 km2) farm in Warrensburg and, by 15, was working for Nelson J. Warren in the town's largest store.

Bishop was hired as a clerk and soon started working for Nelson J. Warren, who headed the largest mercantile company in Warrensburg.

Within a year her father Pākī made peace with the marriage and invited the couple to live in the family estate called Haleakala.

[2] Bishop formed a partnership with William A. Aldrich, selling merchandise to be shipped to supply the California Gold Rush.

[8] Bishop served on the Privy Council for five Hawaiian monarchs from 1859–1891, and was appointed to the House of Nobles 1859–1886 by King Kamehameha IV.

[5] Bishop was one of the first trustees of and major donor to the Kamehameha Schools, founded at his late wife's bequest to provide education to Hawaiian children.

[9] Bishop hired William Tufts Brigham, whom he had met on a scientific visit in 1864 with Horace Mann Jr., to be the museum's first director.

For example, he hired architects Clinton Briggs Ripley and Charles William Dickey to design a new building for the Bishop estate headquarters, and for Pauahi Hall on the Punahou School campus.