William H. Bissell (1811-1860), the first Republican Governor of Illinois (1857-1860), was born near Painted Post, Steuben Co., N.Y. on April 25, 1811. After graduating from Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia (1835), he moved to Monroe Co., Ill. to practice medicine. In 1839, he married Emily James and later he would marry Elizabeth Kane. Bissell served as a Representative in the General Assembly (1840-1842), studied law, was admitted to the bar and opened a law office in Belleville. He was elected Prosecuting Attorney of St. Clair County (1844), and served as Colonel of the Second Illinois Volunteer Infantry (1846-1847) in the Mexican War. After the war, he represented Illinois' 1st District in Congress where he was challenged to a duel by Jefferson Davis because a Bissell congressionial speech denounced Southern troops for taking the entire credit for Mexican War successes. The duel was prevented by the intervention of President Taylor, Jefferson Davis' father-in-law. A coalition of Whigs and Anti-Nebraska Democrats held the first Illinois State Republican Convention (May 29, 1856) and nominated Bissell for Governor. He was inaugurated in 1857, continuing in office until his death, the first by a sitting Illinois Governor, on March 18, 1860. Bissell was buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, Ill.
From the description of Willian Harrison Bissell correspondence, 1857-1860. (Illinois State Archive). WorldCat record id: 35751473
