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Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ============================================================================= Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. ============================================================================= Grand Rapids Weekly Leader Wednesday, 20 March, 1889 Death of MR. BISSELL MELVILLE R. BISSELL died Friday night about 6 o'clock and the funeral was held Sunday afternoon from his resi- dence at 85 Sheldon street at 3 o'clock. He was ill less than a week, but it became apparent early Friday morning that he could not live, and for several hours his death was expected at any hour. MR. BISSELL was born at Hartwich, Otsego, N.Y., 46 years ago. His father, ALPHEUS BISSELL, new (sic) hale and hearty at 88 years, and his mother, both living and residents of this city, moved westward first to Racine, Wid., and later to Berlin in the same state and there they remained until the son was 17 years old. Then they moved to Kalamazoo and engaged in the crockery business and from there they came here. The firm of BISSELL & Son became well known, and their crockery store at 72 Canal street was well patronized. In addition to crockery, car- pet sweepers were carried in the general line, and it was while handling one of the early makes that MR. BISSELL gained the idea how the sweepers could be materially im- proved. It was the old "Welcome" sweeper and its mechan- icism was far from perfect and MR. BISSELL studied how it could be bettered, and then he had a sample made car- rying his new idea into effect, and soon had a patent on a "self adjusting brush for carpet sweepers." This was in 1876. MR. BISSELL at once commenced the manufacture of his new article. The cases were made under contract by Z. E. ALLEN, and the swepers were set up, trimmed, packed and shipped in a portion of the Canal street store. This first invention transmitted the rotary power of the brush by means of little cog wheels. The cog wheels work- ed all right, but they made such a racket that they were not a success. MR. BISSELL then tried another scheme. The cogs were replaced with iron friction with what was called pendulum bearings. The iron friction proved not adhesive enough. When the iron bearings had worn bright they would slip, and the brush would not rotate. MR. BFSSELL (sic) destroyed $3,000 worth of these sweepers which could not be remodeled and tried again. The result of his third attempt was so successful that it has rovoluntionized carpet sweepers in the 10 years it has been in use. He made his next machine very light in all its parts and put little rubber bands for tires on the gearing. The rubber friction was patented in the fall of 1878. The new sweeper answered the purpose for which it was in- tended and commanded a ready sale. The business grew too large for the Canal street crockery store and in 1880 MR. BISSELL bought an old wooden shop on the east bank of the river at the foot of Erie street. He still con- tinued in the crockery business with his father but was alone in the manufacture of carpet sweepers. The crock- ery store was moved from Canal street to Monroe street and eventually sold to Leonard and sons. In the fall of 1882 MR. BISSELL erected a brick fac tory to meet the demands of his increasing trade which now occupied his entire time. In a few months it had grown so large that one man could not attend to it. More capital was needed. February 12, 1883, the BISSELL Carpet Sweeper company was organized with a capital stock $150,000, MR. BISSELL himself taking $100,000 of the stock. Steps were taken at once to largely increase the capacity of the factory. March 12, 1884, five years and three days previous to MR. BISSELL'S death, the en- terprise suffered a blow which all but a few thought would be final. The factory burned to the ground with almost total loss. The statement of the calamity was: "Loss $100,000, insurance $14,000. The popular expres- sion was: "BISSELL is gone up." The gentlemen of the company, however, fully appreciated the value of their patents and capital was soon forthcoming. The factory was soon rebuilt and addition after addition has been added thereto until at present it is one of the largest manufacturing institutions in the city, and the largest carpet sweeper factory in the world. The stockholders of the company are M. R. BISSELL, C. B. JUDD, MAURICE SHANAHAN, S. B. JENKS, ROBERT SHANAHAN, HENRY IDEMA, T. W. WILLIAMS, and ALPHEUS BISSELL, the father, and HARRY BISSELL, brother of M. R. BISSELL. MR. BISSELL has accepted every oppor- tunity to buy up the stock of the company, and owns $130,000 of the stock capital. The last transfer of stock was made at two and one-half times the face value, and it is commercially valued at three. MR. BISSELL'S stock in the company is therefore worth about $400,000. The Welcome Carpet Sweeper Company, from whom MR. BISSELL received his first ideas, has long since been bought out by the BISSELL company, which now controls over 100 patents of all kinds. MR. BISSELL was always fond of fine horses and two years ago, partly to gratify his pleasure and partly as an investment, he started the "Standard stock farm," near Reed's lake and has upwards of $40,000 worth of fine horses there now. In private life deceased was extremely happy. About twenty years ago he married Miss ANNIE SUTHERLAND, of Green Bay, Wis., and she has ever been a fond and de- voted wife. They have one daughter, Miss DOETELLE, and three small sons, and they with MR. BISSELL'S aged parents deeply mourn his death. MR. BISSELL leaves a fortune variously estimated at $300,000 to $500,000, and a life insurance of $40,000. His family will undoubtedly retain the interest in the carpet sweeping business, leaving it in the hands of the present management. MR. BISSELL was esteemed and respected by all who knew him, or had business relations with him, and was beloved by his friends. He was honest, generous, charit- able and kind, a consistent Christian, and a good citi- zen, always in the front rank upon public occasions, yet never pushing himself forward. He was modest, and found his greatest pleasures in the home and family circle. His death is a loss to the city, and will be deeply regretted by all. ===============================================================================