Résumé

During his long career, Edgar F. Bissantz had success as a designer of houses, a public housing architect, a master planner and as a photographer.

Designer, Roland E. Coate, Sr., Architect, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1928-1928. Coate (1890-1958) was also a graduate of the Department of Architecture at Cornell University, graduating about a decade earlier.

Designer, Allison and Allison, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1930.

Principal, Edgar Bissantz, Architect, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1932-1935.

Partner, [H. Roy] Kelley, Bissantz and [H.G.] Spielman, Associated Architects, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1935. This association was formed during the difficult financial years of the Depression. Eventually, Bissantz had to leave it to take on better-funded architectural work for a public agency.

Architect, Regional Office, United States Housing Authority, San Francisco, CA, c. 1939- 1942 . The San Francisco Office of USHA, under the direction of Winters Haydock, was the first in its late 1930s effort at decentralizing its organization, and later offices were to be patterned on it. In 02/1942, the USHA office was located at 785 Market Street in San Francisco. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for California, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 156, accessed 01/24/2023.)

Master Plan Architect, City and County of San Francisco, San Francisco City Planning Commission, San Francisco, CA, c. 1950.

In 1955, Bissantz listed his private practice as "ret." (See American Architects Directory, 1956, George S. Koyl, ed., [New York: R.R. Bowker Company, 1955], p. 45.)

Professional Actvities

Member, American Institute of Architects (AIA). Bissantz actively served two AIA chapters, the Southern California Chapter and the Monterey Bay Chapter.

Secretary, AIA, Southern California Chapter, Los Angeles, CA.

President, AIA, Southern California Chapter, Los Angeles, CA.

Member, AIA, Monterey Bay Chapter, Monterey, CA.

Vice-President, Southern California Chapter, American Institute of Architects, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1938-1939.

In 1955, Bissantz reported himself to be a Registered Architect in the State of CA. (See American Architects Directory, 1956, George S. Koyl, ed., [New York: R.R. Bowker Company, 1955], p. 45.)

Professional Awards

Bissantz reported in 1955, that he had won "Several Honor Awards, S. Calif. Chapter AIA." (See American Architects Directory, 1956, George S. Koyl, ed., [New York: R.R. Bowker Company, 1955], p. 45.)

Archives

Some work by Bissantz has been preserved at the Architecture & Design Collection, University Art Museum, University of California, Santa Barbara. His photographs were given to the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), Art, Architecture and Desgin Museum. (See Online Archive of California [OAC], Finding Aid for the Edgar Bissantz photographs, 1935-1936 0000220, accessed 01/24/2023.) Bissantz donated this material in 1988.

High School / College

Graduate, Wichita High School, Wichita, KS, c. 1919. At Wichita High School, Bissantz belonged to both the newly-formed Motion Picture Committee and the Carolus Club, the latter a student drama society. (See Wichita High School, Wichitan Yearbook, 1919, p. 45 and 49.) His interest in both acting and the movies would be satisfied when he moved to Los Angeles a year later.

B.Arch., Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, c. 1925. In the 1920s, Cornell became the first American collegiate school of architecture to institute a five-year curriculum. (See Cornell University.edu, "History of the Department of Architecture," accessed 01/19/2023.)

Relocation

Born in Wichita, KS, Edgar F. Bissantz lived in that city at 805 South Lawrence Road with his parents in 1910. He was the only child of George Frederick Bissantz, a confectionery store owner, and Augusta Jerke (sometimes spelled "Oerke"), who managed the household. Both of his parents had migrated to the US from Germany. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Wichita Ward 1, Sedgwick, Kansas; Roll: T624_456; Page: 11B; Enumeration District: 0104; FHL microfilm: 1374469, accessed 01/19/2023.)

The 1915 Kansas Census listed Edgar and his parents still living in Wichita. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Kansas State Historical Society; Topeka, Kansas; Roll: ks1915_217; Line: 10, accessed 01/19/2023)

In 1920, the Bissantz Family had relocated to Los Angeles, CA, living in a four-family apartment building at 2120 West 11th Street in the latter year. Edgar's father had no profession listed in the 1920 US Census. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Los Angeles Assembly District 75, Los Angeles, California; Roll: T625_116; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 464, accessed 01/18/2023.) A 05/28/1923 US passport application for his parents George and Augusta Bissantz, however, continued to assert that their permanent residence was in Wichita, KS. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; Roll #: 2287; Volume #: Roll 2287 - Certificates: 300850-301349, 01 Jun 1923-01 Jun 1923, accessed 01/24/2023.) A passenger manifest of 10/10/1923 listed Augusta and Edgar living at 4125 East Douglas Avenue in Victoria, KS. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Manifests of Passengers Arriving at St. Albans, VT, District through Canadian Pacific and Atlantic Ports, 1895-1954; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787 - 2004; Record Group Number: 85; Series Number: M1464; Roll Number: 482, accessed 01/24/2023.)

During the period c. 1920-1925, Bissantz lived in Ithaca, NY, attending Cornell University. He got married on Staten Island, NY, in 1926, perhaps while he worked in New York City. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation New York City Municipal Archives; New York, New York; Borough: Staten Island; Volume Number: 1; Page Number: 82, accessed 01/24/2023.)

In 1927, Edgar and Elizabeth Bissantz took a European trip and listed a permanent address on their ship's passenger manifest of his parent's house at 4125 East Douglas Avenue in Wichita. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1927; Arrival: New York, New York, USA; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Line: 1; Page Number: 63 Source Information Ancestry.com. New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010, accessed 01/24/2023.) After this trip, Edgar probably returned to Southern CA to work in various architectural offices before establishing his own practice. Likely his first position was with Roland E. Coate, Sr., also an alumnus of Cornell.

By 1930, George and Augusta resided in Pasadena, CA, where he worked as a real estate broker. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Pasadena, Los Angeles, California; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 1276; FHL microfilm: 2339905, accessed 01/19/2023.)

Bissantz had married by 1930, and he and his wife Elizabeth lived in a rented house at 741 South Euclid Avenue in Pasadena. They paid $85 per month in rent, and lived in a wealthy neighborhood of $15,000-25,000 dwellings. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Pasadena, Los Angeles, California; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 1249; FHL microfilm: 2339904, accessed 01/24/2023.) The couple lived at 1714 Diamond Avenue in South Pasadena, CA, in 1934. (See South Pasadena and San Marino, City Directory, 1934, p. 13.)

Edgar and Elizabeth had moved to San Francisco, CA, by 1940, where they paid $45 for a habitation at 1632 Taylor Street. Edgar worked for the US Housing Authority at that time. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Roll: m-t0627-00303; Page: 67A; Enumeration District: 38-141, accessed 01/24/2023.) Two years later on 02/14/1942, Bissantz had an address of 2128 Vallejo Street in San Francisco. He had likely split with his first wife by the this time, as she was not listed as his next-of-kin on his World War II draft registration card. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for California, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 156, accessed 01/24/2023.)

In 1955, Bissantz resided in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA. (See American Architects Directory, 1956, George S. Koyl, ed., [New York: R.R. Bowker Company, 1955], p. 45.) He resided in Carmel until at least 03/1965. (See Amon Carter Museum, org, Letter from Edgar Bissantz to Laura Gilpin, 03/01/1965, Laura Gilpin Papers, Amon Carter Museum of American Art Archives, Fort Worth, TX, Item #A2007.069.01.07.023.004, accessed 01/24/2023.)

Between 1979 and 1985, at least, Edgar and Jean Bissantz lived at 946 Channel Drive in Santa Barbara, CA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 1 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: Voter Registration Lists, Public Record Filings, Historical Residential Records, and Other Household Database Listings, accessed 01/24/2023.)

Bissantz died in Santa Barbara, and he and his wife Jean were buried at the Santa Barbara Cemetery, Santa Barbara, CA.

Parents

Edgar's parents,Georg Friedrich Bissantz (born 06/13/1863 in Durkheim, Bavaria, Germany-d. 07/20/1940 in Los Angeles County, CA) and Augusta Jerke (born 03/04/1867 in Ottenstein, Germany-d. 10/16/1941 in Los Angeles County, CA), married in Wichita, KS, on 04/08/1890. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. Kansas, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1811-1911 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016, accessed 01/18/2023. A 05/28/1923 US passport application of George and Augusta mistakenly put the date of the marriage as 04/08/1900. See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; Roll #: 2287; Volume #: Roll 2287 - Certificates: 300850-301349, 01 Jun 1923-01 Jun 1923, accessed 01/19/2023.)

George Frederick's parents were Friedrich Adolph Bissantz (born c. 1817 in Durkheim, Bavaria, Germany- d. 07/18/1897 in Wichita, KS) and Catharina Barbara Herold (born 02/19/1821 in Germany). Catharina married another man, Philipp Kirsch, on 12/29/1866 in Bad Durkheim, Bavaria. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. Germany, Select Marriages, 1558-1929 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014., accessed 01/19/2023.)

Various dates have been recorded for the immigration of Edgar's parents. As per the 1910 US Census, Augusta immigrated in 1887, George a year later. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Wichita Ward 1, Sedgwick, Kansas; Roll: T624_456; Page: 11B; Enumeration District: 0104; FHL microfilm: 1374469, accessed 01/18/2023.) According to the 1920 US Census, Augusta migrated in 1886 from the Braunschweig, in Lower Saxony, Germany, and was naturalized in 1893. George was listed as having reached the US in 1889 from Bavaria, and was also naturalized in 1893. US passport paperwork from 02/1906 supported the 1910 US Census data, that George Bissantz sailed from Bremen, Germany, to New York, NY, on 12/07/1888. He lived in Wichita, KS, between 1888 and the time when he and his family relocated to Los Angeles, sometime between 1910 and 1920. This 1906 passport document also indicated that George had been naturalized on 02/07/1900 in Wichita, KS. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; Roll #: 2; Volume #: Roll 0002 - Certificates: 6581-8181, 02 Feb 1906-14 Mar 1906, accessed 01/18/2023.)

Another "George Bisantz" (born 06/04/1863 in Germany-d. 03/15/1914 in Brooklyn, NY) came to the US a bit earlier, in 1880. This individual did not spell his last name the same way and worked as an engineer.

George Bissantz performed a number of jobs during his lifetime. In 1895, the Kansas State Census indicated that he worked as a baker in Wicihita. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Kansas State Historical Society; Topeka, Kansas; 1895 Kansas Territory Census; Roll: v115_137; Line: 3, accessed 01/19/2023.)

By 1930, George and Augusta Bissantz resided in a residence at 342 South Parkwood Drive in Pasadena, CA. Edgar's parents enjoyed some financial success by this time, as their house had an approximate value of $12,000 and they could afford a live-in servant, Hermine Halbe (born c. 1866 in Germany). (Neighboring houses ranged in values from $9,500 to $20,000 in 1930, values considerably higher than the national average.) George Bissantz had switched from the candy business to becoming a real estate broker in Pasadena. A next-door neighbor of George and Augusta Bissantz was William E. Neff (born 09/19/1870 in Jamestown, IN-d. 1934 in Los Angeles, CA), a ceramicist and artist. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Pasadena, Los Angeles, California; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 1276; FHL microfilm: 2339905, accessed 01/19/2023.)

Spouse

He wed Mary Elizabeth Mathewson (born 09/08/1904 in Anaconda, MT-d. 01/20/1980 in Los Angeles County, CA) on 06/03/1926 in Richmond, NY. She went by her middle name of Elizabeth. This marriage ended in divorce, and Elizabeth would remarry attorney Donald Phinney Goodwin (born 11/24/1886 in NS, Canada-d. 10/19/1978 in Los Angeles County, CA) on 09/15/1948 in CA. In 1950, the couple lived in what was Beverly Hills Township (but later became part of West Hollywood) at 8473 De Longpre Avenue. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation United States of America, Bureau of the Census; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790-2007; Record Group Number: 29; Residence Date: 1950; Home in 1950: Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California; Roll: 2129; Sheet Number: 5; Enumeration District: 19-216, accessed 01/24/2023.)

Elizabeth attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for four years.

Edgar married again to Jean Bissantz (born 10/28/1905-d. 10/13/2003). He had married her before 1965, when the two traveled to Santa Fe, NM. (See Amon Carter Museum, org, Letter from Edgar Bissantz to Laura Gilpin, 03/01/1965, Laura Gilpin Papers, Amon Carter Museum of American Art Archives, Fort Worth, TX, Item #A2007.069.01.07.023.004, accessed 01/24/2023.)

Biographical Notes

The Bissantz Family planned a trip to return to Europe for five months, beginning approximately on 04/24/1906. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; Roll #: 2; Volume #: Roll 0002 - Certificates: 6581-8181, 02 Feb 1906-14 Mar 1906, accessed 01/18/2023.)

George and Augusta Bissantz took a vacation in Germany, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Holland, Italy and Great Britain during the summer of 1923. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; Roll #: 2287; Volume #: Roll 2287 - Certificates: 300850-301349, 01 Jun 1923-01 Jun 1923, accessed 01/19/2023.) They took at least part of this vacation with Edgar, who returned with his mother Augusta aboard the Allan Line's S.S. Empress of France that sailed between Southampton, England, to Quebec City, QC, between 10/03/1923 and 10/10/1923. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Manifests of Passengers Arriving at St. Albans, VT, District through Canadian Pacific and Atlantic Ports, 1895-1954; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787 - 2004; Record Group Number: 85; Series Number: M1464; Roll Number: 482, accessed 01/24/2023.)

Bissantz and his first wife made another European excursion in 1927. They traveled aboard the enormous Hamburg America Liner S.S. Leviathan sailing from Southampton to New York, NY, between 04/19/1927 and 04/25/1927. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1927; Arrival: New York, New York, USA; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Line: 1; Page Number: 63 Source Information Ancestry.com. New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010, accessed 01/24/2023.)

When surveyed in 1955, Edgar reported having traveled in Greece, Italy, France, Germany, England, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Turkey. (See "Bissantz, Edgar," American Architects Directory, 1956, George S. Koyl, ed., [New York: R.R. Bowker Company, 1955], p. 45.)

His World War II draft registration card of 02/14/1942 described Bissantz as Caucasian with a light complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He stood 6-feet, 1-inch-tall and weighed 190 pounds. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for California, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 156, accessed 01/24/2023.)

Member, Rotary Club, Carmel, CA, c. 1955.

Member, Monterey County Republican Centennial Committee, c. 1955.

Member, Commonwealth Club of CA, c. 1955.

President, La Causerie Francaise, Carmel, CA, c. 1955.

Bissantz became a serious photographer during the later 1950s and 1960s in Carmel, CA. He took a well-known photograph of photographer Imogen Cunningham (1883-1976) creating a portrait another photographer August Sander (1876-1964) in 1960. In 1965, Bissantz took a trip to Santa Fe, NM, which he discussed in a letter to photographer Laura Gilpin, held at the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth, TX. In this letter he talks about works by Paul Strand (1890-1976), Ansel Adams (1902-1984) and Cunningham all printed on platinum paper. He indicated that he felt that printing on platinum paper provided the best qualities. This correspondence indicated that he knew these photographers personally and studied their works closely. He also noted how he tried to photograph American Indians at the their pueblos near Santa Fe, but had no luck getting their permission. He also mentioned how he had sold some photographs he took in Yosemite to a "scientific magazine." (See Amon Carter Museum, org, Letter from Edgar Bissantz to Laura Gilpin, 03/01/1965, Laura Gilpin Papers, Amon Carter Museum of American Art Archives, Fort Worth, TX, Item #A2007.069.01.07.023.004, accessed 01/24/2023.)

SSN: 545-70-5402.

• Wichita, KS (Architect's Birth)
  Wichita, KS 67202

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• Santa Barbara, CA (Architect's Death)
  Santa Barbara, CA

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