William Henry Bissell
William Henry Bissell | |
|---|---|
| 11th Governor of Illinois | |
| In office January 12, 1857 – March 18, 1860 | |
| Lieutenant | John Wood |
| Preceded by | Joel Aldrich Matteson |
| Succeeded by | John Wood |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois | |
| In office March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1855 | |
| Preceded by | Robert Smith (1st) District established (8th) |
| Succeeded by | Elihu B. Washburne (1st) James L. D. Morrison (8th) |
| Constituency | 1st district (1849-53) 8th district (1853-55) |
| Member of the Illinois House of Representatives | |
| In office 1840–1842 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 25, 1811 Hartwick, New York, U.S. |
| Died | March 18, 1860 (aged 48) Springfield, Illinois, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic, Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Emily Susan Jones, Elizabeth Kane |
| Profession | Physician, lawyer, politician |
| Signature | |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1846–1847 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Commands | 2nd Illinois Infantry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | Mexican–American War |
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William Henry Bissell (April 25, 1811 – March 18, 1860) was the 11th Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1857 until his death. He was one of the first successful Republican Party candidates in the U.S., winning the election of 1856 just two years after the founding of his party. In addition to being the first Republican governor of Illinois, he was also the first Catholic and also the first to die in office.