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Household ➔ Carpet Sweeper
Identifier:
121254Date:
1909Current Location Status:
In StorageSource:
Gift Of Estate Of Henry IdemaRelated Entities:
Bissell Inc. (creator)Alternate names: Bissell, Bissell Incorporated
Bissell Inc. was founded in 1876 by Melville Bissell in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Bissell was responsible for the invention of the carpet sweeper and built the company's first manufacturing plant in Grand Rapids in 1883. By the late 1800s, they were producing 1,000 carpet sweepers a day. When Bissell passed away in 1889, his wife Anna took over as CEO, making her the first female CEO in America. As the times changed the company began to manufacture vacuums and carpet shampoos. As of 2019, Bissell Inc. is still one of the leading companies in floor-care. Estate of Henry Idema (donor)
Henry Idema of Grand Rapids, Michigan was born in 1856 to Henry Idema and Frances Vanderploeg. He was a banker and was Chairman of the Board of Old Kent Bank since 1908. He was also the Vice President of the Michigan Trust Company. On February 3rd, 1880 he married Annie Doornink and together they had three children: Chester F. Idema, Walter D. Idema, and Edward H. Idema. He passed away on January 5th,1951 and is buried at Woodlawn Cemetary in Grand Rapids, Michigan.