Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/328

 niSPHAM.

BISSELL.

BISPHAM, Henry Collins, artist, was born in Phila.lfiplna. Pa.. .Juiu-!•. lS-n;son of John B. ami Martlia ^ Collins) Bispham. At the age of thirteen he l>egiin to stiuly art under Edmund B. I^wis, ami was afterwanls i)laced under the instrueti<)n of William T. Kit-hards. In 18152 he, with the entire sketching class of Philadelphia, volunteered in the Union army and aiTomi)anied the reserve brigade of Pliiladelphia through the valley of Pennsylvania and into Maryland. Ke- turning to Pliiladt-lphia. lie t)pened a studio, piiintingehielly pictures of war and battle scenes. His fii-st large picture, "A Cavalry Raid," was purchased for seven hundred and fifty dollars. He also painted wild animals, among others being a lion for Edwin Forrest and the lion" Sultan" ex- liibited at the Paris Salon, 1879, and the Royal academy, 1880. and afterwards presented to the Pennsylvania academy. He studied in France and Italy in 18G'); resided in New York city, 1S6G-77, and became a member of the Century association. He traveled in Europe, 1878-79, and in 1880 opened a studio in Rome. His pictures include: " Dead in the Desert " (1868); " Deer Pursued by Wolves," •' A Roman Wine-Cart " (1868); " In the Fields," "To the Front" (1869); "Lions Head," "The Stami>ede" (1873); " Crouciiing Lion" (1883); "Tigress" (1878), and "Landscape and Cattle" (1878). "La Vallee du Var," Paris Salon (1880). He died in Rome, Italy, Dec. 22, 1882.

BISSELL, Clark, governor of Connecticut, was born in Lebanon, Conn., in 1782. He was graduated at Yale in 1806. and was admitted to the bar in 1808 and practised in Lebanon and Norwalk, Conn. He was judge of the supreme court of Connecticut 1829-"39; Kent professor of law at Yale 1847-'55, and governor of Connecti- cut. 1847-"49. Yale gave him the degree of LL.D. in 1847. He died in Xorwalk, Conn., Sept. 15, 1857.

BISSELL, Edwin Cone, educator, was born at Schoharie. N. Y., in 1x32. He was graduated from Amherst college in 1855, and four years lat^r from the Union theological seminary. In 1859 he accepted a call to the Congregational church at Westhampton, Mass., and remained there five years, going thence to San Francisco, where for another five years he presided over a church. From 1870 to 1873 he was pastor at Winchester, Ma.s.s., and in the latter year was sent as a mis,sionary to Austria, where he re- mained until 1878. He accepted the chair of Hebrew language and literature at Hartford theological seminary in May, 1882. Among the more important of his publications are: "Histori- cal Origin of the Bible" (1873); "The Apocrypha of the Old Testament " (1880); " The Pentateuch: its Origin and Structure: an Examination of Recent Theories" (188.5), and "Biblical An- tiquitiea" (1888).

BISSELL, Evelyn L., surgeon, was born at Litchfield, Conn., Sept. 10, 1839. Benjamin Bis- .sell, his great granilfather, served with distinc- tion in the French, Indian and revolutionary wars, and died in 1821. His father was a major in the U. S. army, and served in the Mexican and civil wars. He was educated at Russell's mili- tary school in New Haven, Conn., and studied medicine at Yale medical .school, graduating in 181)0. He served as surgeon of an Atlantic steamer until the opening of the war, when he joined the Union arm}' as second assistant surgeon of the 5th Connecticut volunteers. He was with Gen- eral Banks in the Shenandoah valley, was taken prisoner at Winchester, Va., May 25, 1862, and was forced by the Confederates to do surgical duty, they doubting, on account of his youth, that he was a surgeon. His signature to the first cartel there, also signed by six others, caused medical officers to be recognized as non- combatants. He was released on parole July 6th, and returned to his regiment by order of General Banks, he however protesting against it as jeop- ardizing his honor and his life in case he should be recaptured, which in fact occurred on Aug. 8, 1862, at Cedar Mountain. He was placed in soli- tary confinement and ultimatelj' sent to Libby prison. His case was brought to the notice of Secretary Stanton and a requisition made for him by the war department, Nov. 20, 1862, resulted in his unconditional release. General Dix of Fortress Monroe next assigned Mr. Bis.sell to the hospital ship Euterpe, and after fulfilling his duty there he was ordered by the secretary of war to return to his regiment at Frederick city, Md., with which he took part in the battles of Chancellors ville, Gettysburg and Kelly's Ford. He served afterwards with the army of the Cum- berland in charge of field bosjiital, and took part in many engagements. He served on the staffs of Generals Hooker and Thomas, and later was appointed by General Sherman to duty at Nash- ville until the close of the war, when he returned to New Haven and engaged in jirivate practice. In 1868 he was appointed surgeon of the 2d regi- ment C. N. G.; and in 1872 resigned to serve the Peruvian government as surgeon in charge of the men engaged on public work in Lima and on the Oroya raih'oad, remaining there until 1875, Twice re-appointed as surgeon to the 2d Con- necticut regiment, he became surgeon -general upon the staff of Governor W^aller in 1883 and 1884. He was also appointed one of the examin- ing surgeons of the U. S. pension department, registrar of vital statistics of New Haven, a mem- ber of its board of health, a jK)lice commissioner, and affiliated himself with numerous professional societies: the G. A. R., I^yal Legion and other organizations.