History of New London, (Oneida County) New York United States of America

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Wilson Shannon Bissell, lawyer, was born in New London, Oneida county, N.Y., Dec. 31, 1847. When he was five years old his parents removed to Buffalo. He was graduated from Yale college with honors in the class of 1869, and studied law with A.P. Lanning of Buffalo, who subsequently formed a co-partnership with Grover Cleveland and Oscar Folsom, whose daughter Mr. Cleveland afterwards married. In 1871 Mr. Bissell was admitted to the bar, and in the fall of 1872 he formed a partnership with Lyman K. Bass, and about a year later Mr. Cleveland became a member of the firm, which thereafter was known as Bass, Cleveland & Bissell. Mr. Bass removed to Colorado on account of ill-health, and Mr. Cleveland was elected governor of the state of New York, the firm being thereby dissolved, Mr. Bissell re-organized it as Bissell, Sicard, Brundage &Bissell. As senior member he became known as one of the ablset railroad lawyers in the country, and served as president of several minor railroads in the western part of New York and in Pennsylvania, as well as director in a number of railroad and commercial corporations. He declined a cabinet position in Mr. Cleveland's first administration as well as a seat on the supreme bench. He served as Democratic presidential elector at large in 1884, as delegate to several successive presidential and state conventions, and in 1890 was a member of a commission to propose amendments to the judiciary articles of the constitution of the state of New York. When President Cleveland selected his cabinet for his second term he appointed Mr. Bissell postmaster-general, March 6, 1893, and he served in that capacity until Feb. 27, 1895, when he resumed his law practice. He received the degree LL.D. from Yale in 1893.

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

History of New London, (Oneida County) New York

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