Melville Reuben Bissell

Melville Bissell was born today. In the mid 1800's, Melville and his wife Anna owned a crockery shop in Grand Rapids, Mich. The dust from the crockery packings was affecting Anna's health, so Melville invented the carpet sweeper. Tufts of hog bristles were bound with string, dipped in hot pitch, inserted in a brush roller and trimmed with scissors. After Melville's untimely death in 1889, Anne took control of the company and became America's first woman corporate CEO! Today Bissell, Inc., employees over 2,500 people, it's products are sold world wide and is still headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Bearwiskers says...Happy Birthday Melville and thank you for a great product!