Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Henry A. Bissot Sr.

Henry A. Bissot Sr., also known as “Bissott” and “Pissott”, was born in 1845, in Württemberg, Germany and probably the son of Sebastian and Margaret (b. 1810).

It is quite possible that Henry’s family immigrated to America sometime before 1857 when they were reportedly living in St. Clements, Canada; in any case, by 1862 they had settled in Grand Rapids, Michigan. (According to the 1920 census Henry as well as his wife to be came to the U.S in 1862.) Henry may have been related to Catharine Bissot (b. 1847) who would eventually marry Anton Bott, also of Grand Rapids and who joined Company C in December of 1863 -- in fact just a week before Henry would enlist.

In any case, Henry stood 5’7” with blue eyes, brown hair and a light complexion, and was a 19-year-old carpenter possibly living in Grand Rapids, Michigan, when he enlisted in Unassigned on January 3, 1864, at Grand Rapids for 3 years, crediting Grand Rapids, and was mustered on January 6.

However, it is uncertain if Henry in fact ever joined the Regiment in Virginia -- he is not listed in the 1905 Third Michigan Regimental history although he is found in the Old Third regimental descriptive roll which noted that he was transferred to Unassigned, Fifth Michigan infantry upon consolidation of the Third and Fifth Michigan Regiments on June 10, 1864.

In any case, he was reported absent sick since January 24, 1865, and was reported absent sick on June 24, 1865, at Brown’s hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. He was mustered out on July 20, 1865 at Louisville. (The Fifth Michigan infantry was mustered out of service on July 5 at Jeffersonville, Indiana, across the Ohio River from Louisville.)

After the war Henry returned to western Michigan and lived most of his life in Grand Rapids and vicinity.

He married Württemberg native Catharine (1853-1935) in 1870, presumably in Michigan, and they had at least eight children: Henry A Jr., Albert A, Frank X., Mrs. Charles Knapp, Mrs. Daniel Krupp, Mrs. Joseph Bergman, Mrs. John Heinbeck, and Emma Bissott.

Henry and Catharine (and Henry’s mother) were living in Walker, Kent County in 1870. He was probably living in Plainfield, Kent County in 1890. In fact Henry probably lived the rest of his life in the Grand Rapids area. In 1920 he and Catharine were living in Plainfield, Kent County, and they were still living in Plainfield in 1930.

He was a Catholic.

In 1889 he applied for and received a pension (no. 468947).

Henry was a widower and may very possibly have been the second to the last surviving member of the Old Third when he died on Wednesday, January 22, 1936, at the home of his daughter Mrs. Charles Knapp in Plainfield Township, Kent County. The funeral was held at Holy Trinity church in Alpine 9:30 a.m. on Saturday and he was buried in Mt. Calvary cemetery: section D lot 250.

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