John Lee Bissell went on many adventures in his life caught short by the throes of depression. His father, trained as a lawyer, entered into the traveling sales business, whereupon his marriage to John's mother failed. John's mother and elder sister, Dorothy, then went from Pittsburgh back to Rochester to his mother's home. John stayed in Pittsburgh with relatives for a few years and at the age of 10 joined them at his much admired grandfather's home, Doctor John Mallory Lee, a physician of the pioneering field of homeopathic medicine and radiation therapy.
Once in Rochester he hiked the close by Genesee River gorge and enjoyed the adjoining Maplewood Park. As an unusual school skipper, he spent days at the museum learning all about the science of nature and about the Native American history and the beginnings of Rochester on Lake Ontario. When his grandfather died, the family dispersed. John was sent to the State of Washington to live with the elderly Livingston Bissell who was a lumber industrialist and had no children. John enjoyed his university studies, as well as skiing and mountain climbing in the Rocky Mountains.
Next he set out for South America by working on a freight ship and brought back home many treasured and unique items. He also ventured to Europe to go climbing and skiing in the Alps. These were the days skis were carried up the mountains, no lifts back then. Climbing was always treacherous as there were many places the snow covered deep crevices, so ropes were used by groups of climbers to lift out anyone who fell. John took albums full of scenic black and white photos.
Photography was another happy pursuit. His sister arranged for him to give a talk on his return from Europe. The locals there had been very hospitable, giving meals and overnights in youth hostels. John became a skilled Bavarian folk dancer. Once back in Rochester in was in dance groups, where he would wear the Bavarian hat decked with a feather, as well as, leather lederhosen breeches with straps. He had become fluent in German through studies and travels, so became a frequent visitor to the German Haus in Rochester for dances with live music and much beer stein lifting.
He met his wife Ruth in Rochester. The first five years of their marriage they went on adventures together before having children, including camping and hiking in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State with their friends. They also went on many a weekend outing to Ruth's family in Sodus Point, a Lake Ontario resort community, where picnics, beach parties, dancing, fishing and boating were popular. He was very well liked by his wife's family who treated him as a son and brother.
John worked several years at Bausch and Lomb Optical Company, and with Toledo Scales in sales. He also bought and ran a taxi from Webster where he had built their home, a venture ahead of its time, as the population was not yet dense enough to supply the necessary customers. The home was near Irondequoit Bay with a wooded approach to the bay. He enjoyed taking the family ice skating on the bay. John was a competitive level speed skater. This he practiced on the bay and at Genesee Valley Park. Another outdoors activity was polar bear type swimming in the middle of winter. He would often throw the window open for deep breaths of cold fresh air in winter.
Nature was a deep fascination with him. He took many lightening photographs, photographs of the beautiful grove of white birch in his yard, and fascinating studies of Jack Frost coverings on window panes. That was not the end of his athletic adventure either, as he was a topnotch swimmer and Red Cross instructor. He loved to take his children to the snow covered hills of Ellison and Powder Mills Parks for sledding. Elison Park is where he assisted in building a log cabin replica. Some of the family beach outings and picnics were at Durand Eastman Park. Seneca Park Zoo was another favorite spot.
John also loved classical music. He gifted the family with a cabinet combination record player and radio. This was topped off with a set of records called The Twelve Dancing Princes, a narrated story set to classical music. He likewise liked to take the family to the early Disney movies that are now classics: Snow White and Cinderella.
Once in Rochester he hiked the close by Genesee River gorge and enjoyed the adjoining Maplewood Park. As an unusual school skipper, he spent days at the museum learning all about the science of nature and about the Native American history and the beginnings of Rochester on Lake Ontario. When his grandfather died, the family dispersed. John was sent to the State of Washington to live with the elderly Livingston Bissell who was a lumber industrialist and had no children. John enjoyed his university studies, as well as skiing and mountain climbing in the Rocky Mountains.
Next he set out for South America by working on a freight ship and brought back home many treasured and unique items. He also ventured to Europe to go climbing and skiing in the Alps. These were the days skis were carried up the mountains, no lifts back then. Climbing was always treacherous as there were many places the snow covered deep crevices, so ropes were used by groups of climbers to lift out anyone who fell. John took albums full of scenic black and white photos.
Photography was another happy pursuit. His sister arranged for him to give a talk on his return from Europe. The locals there had been very hospitable, giving meals and overnights in youth hostels. John became a skilled Bavarian folk dancer. Once back in Rochester in was in dance groups, where he would wear the Bavarian hat decked with a feather, as well as, leather lederhosen breeches with straps. He had become fluent in German through studies and travels, so became a frequent visitor to the German Haus in Rochester for dances with live music and much beer stein lifting.
He met his wife Ruth in Rochester. The first five years of their marriage they went on adventures together before having children, including camping and hiking in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State with their friends. They also went on many a weekend outing to Ruth's family in Sodus Point, a Lake Ontario resort community, where picnics, beach parties, dancing, fishing and boating were popular. He was very well liked by his wife's family who treated him as a son and brother.
John worked several years at Bausch and Lomb Optical Company, and with Toledo Scales in sales. He also bought and ran a taxi from Webster where he had built their home, a venture ahead of its time, as the population was not yet dense enough to supply the necessary customers. The home was near Irondequoit Bay with a wooded approach to the bay. He enjoyed taking the family ice skating on the bay. John was a competitive level speed skater. This he practiced on the bay and at Genesee Valley Park. Another outdoors activity was polar bear type swimming in the middle of winter. He would often throw the window open for deep breaths of cold fresh air in winter.
Nature was a deep fascination with him. He took many lightening photographs, photographs of the beautiful grove of white birch in his yard, and fascinating studies of Jack Frost coverings on window panes. That was not the end of his athletic adventure either, as he was a topnotch swimmer and Red Cross instructor. He loved to take his children to the snow covered hills of Ellison and Powder Mills Parks for sledding. Elison Park is where he assisted in building a log cabin replica. Some of the family beach outings and picnics were at Durand Eastman Park. Seneca Park Zoo was another favorite spot.
John also loved classical music. He gifted the family with a cabinet combination record player and radio. This was topped off with a set of records called The Twelve Dancing Princes, a narrated story set to classical music. He likewise liked to take the family to the early Disney movies that are now classics: Snow White and Cinderella.
John Lee Bissell went on many adventures in his life caught short by the throes of depression. His father, trained as a lawyer, entered into the traveling sales business, whereupon his marriage to John's mother failed. John's mother and elder sister, Dorothy, then went from Pittsburgh back to Rochester to his mother's home. John stayed in Pittsburgh with relatives for a few years and at the age of 10 joined them at his much admired grandfather's home, Doctor John Mallory Lee, a physician of the pioneering field of homeopathic medicine and radiation therapy.
Once in Rochester he hiked the close by Genesee River gorge and enjoyed the adjoining Maplewood Park. As an unusual school skipper, he spent days at the museum learning all about the science of nature and about the Native American history and the beginnings of Rochester on Lake Ontario. When his grandfather died, the family dispersed. John was sent to the State of Washington to live with the elderly Livingston Bissell who was a lumber industrialist and had no children. John enjoyed his university studies, as well as skiing and mountain climbing in the Rocky Mountains.
Next he set out for South America by working on a freight ship and brought back home many treasured and unique items. He also ventured to Europe to go climbing and skiing in the Alps. These were the days skis were carried up the mountains, no lifts back then. Climbing was always treacherous as there were many places the snow covered deep crevices, so ropes were used by groups of climbers to lift out anyone who fell. John took albums full of scenic black and white photos.
Photography was another happy pursuit. His sister arranged for him to give a talk on his return from Europe. The locals there had been very hospitable, giving meals and overnights in youth hostels. John became a skilled Bavarian folk dancer. Once back in Rochester in was in dance groups, where he would wear the Bavarian hat decked with a feather, as well as, leather lederhosen breeches with straps. He had become fluent in German through studies and travels, so became a frequent visitor to the German Haus in Rochester for dances with live music and much beer stein lifting.
He met his wife Ruth in Rochester. The first five years of their marriage they went on adventures together before having children, including camping and hiking in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State with their friends. They also went on many a weekend outing to Ruth's family in Sodus Point, a Lake Ontario resort community, where picnics, beach parties, dancing, fishing and boating were popular. He was very well liked by his wife's family who treated him as a son and brother.
John worked several years at Bausch and Lomb Optical Company, and with Toledo Scales in sales. He also bought and ran a taxi from Webster where he had built their home, a venture ahead of its time, as the population was not yet dense enough to supply the necessary customers. The home was near Irondequoit Bay with a wooded approach to the bay. He enjoyed taking the family ice skating on the bay. John was a competitive level speed skater. This he practiced on the bay and at Genesee Valley Park. Another outdoors activity was polar bear type swimming in the middle of winter. He would often throw the window open for deep breaths of cold fresh air in winter.
Nature was a deep fascination with him. He took many lightening photographs, photographs of the beautiful grove of white birch in his yard, and fascinating studies of Jack Frost coverings on window panes. That was not the end of his athletic adventure either, as he was a topnotch swimmer and Red Cross instructor. He loved to take his children to the snow covered hills of Ellison and Powder Mills Parks for sledding. Elison Park is where he assisted in building a log cabin replica. Some of the family beach outings and picnics were at Durand Eastman Park. Seneca Park Zoo was another favorite spot.
John also loved classical music. He gifted the family with a cabinet combination record player and radio. This was topped off with a set of records called The Twelve Dancing Princes, a narrated story set to classical music. He likewise liked to take the family to the early Disney movies that are now classics: Snow White and Cinderella.
Once in Rochester he hiked the close by Genesee River gorge and enjoyed the adjoining Maplewood Park. As an unusual school skipper, he spent days at the museum learning all about the science of nature and about the Native American history and the beginnings of Rochester on Lake Ontario. When his grandfather died, the family dispersed. John was sent to the State of Washington to live with the elderly Livingston Bissell who was a lumber industrialist and had no children. John enjoyed his university studies, as well as skiing and mountain climbing in the Rocky Mountains.
Next he set out for South America by working on a freight ship and brought back home many treasured and unique items. He also ventured to Europe to go climbing and skiing in the Alps. These were the days skis were carried up the mountains, no lifts back then. Climbing was always treacherous as there were many places the snow covered deep crevices, so ropes were used by groups of climbers to lift out anyone who fell. John took albums full of scenic black and white photos.
Photography was another happy pursuit. His sister arranged for him to give a talk on his return from Europe. The locals there had been very hospitable, giving meals and overnights in youth hostels. John became a skilled Bavarian folk dancer. Once back in Rochester in was in dance groups, where he would wear the Bavarian hat decked with a feather, as well as, leather lederhosen breeches with straps. He had become fluent in German through studies and travels, so became a frequent visitor to the German Haus in Rochester for dances with live music and much beer stein lifting.
He met his wife Ruth in Rochester. The first five years of their marriage they went on adventures together before having children, including camping and hiking in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State with their friends. They also went on many a weekend outing to Ruth's family in Sodus Point, a Lake Ontario resort community, where picnics, beach parties, dancing, fishing and boating were popular. He was very well liked by his wife's family who treated him as a son and brother.
John worked several years at Bausch and Lomb Optical Company, and with Toledo Scales in sales. He also bought and ran a taxi from Webster where he had built their home, a venture ahead of its time, as the population was not yet dense enough to supply the necessary customers. The home was near Irondequoit Bay with a wooded approach to the bay. He enjoyed taking the family ice skating on the bay. John was a competitive level speed skater. This he practiced on the bay and at Genesee Valley Park. Another outdoors activity was polar bear type swimming in the middle of winter. He would often throw the window open for deep breaths of cold fresh air in winter.
Nature was a deep fascination with him. He took many lightening photographs, photographs of the beautiful grove of white birch in his yard, and fascinating studies of Jack Frost coverings on window panes. That was not the end of his athletic adventure either, as he was a topnotch swimmer and Red Cross instructor. He loved to take his children to the snow covered hills of Ellison and Powder Mills Parks for sledding. Elison Park is where he assisted in building a log cabin replica. Some of the family beach outings and picnics were at Durand Eastman Park. Seneca Park Zoo was another favorite spot.
John also loved classical music. He gifted the family with a cabinet combination record player and radio. This was topped off with a set of records called The Twelve Dancing Princes, a narrated story set to classical music. He likewise liked to take the family to the early Disney movies that are now classics: Snow White and Cinderella.
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