Biography of 	BISSO, William A., Orleans Parish,  Louisiana
Submitted by 	Mike Miller April 1998

**********************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm
**********************************************  

Louisiana:  Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, 
and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 49.  Edited by 
Alcée Fortier, Lit.D.  Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.


Bisso, William A., was born in New Orleans, La., Aug. 4, 1875, the son of 
Joseph and Mary B. (Damonte) Bisso, the former of whom was a native of 
Gyenoble, France, and the latter of Spanish and Italian descent, the 
daughter of Joseph Damonte.  Mr. Joseph Bisso came to America when about 
10 years of age and first settled in New Orleans but later went to 
Plaquemine, where he learned the trade of blacksmith and horseshoer.  From 
Plaquemine he entered the service of the Confederate navy as water tender 
and remained in the service until the close of the war when he received an 
honorable discharge.  At that time he settled on Walnut street in the city 
of New Orleans and engaged as timberman for the Fischer Lumber Co.  After 
a period of about 5 years in their employ he went into the wood and lumber 
business for himself which he continued until about 1891.  A levee was built
through his property in that year and the work at that point had to be 
abandoned.  Succeeding this he became interested in the tow and ferry boat 
business, which he followed until his death, Dec. 25, 1907.  To Mr. and 
Mrs. Joseph Bisso, 5 children were born, namely:  Anna, now the widow of 
F. G. Tyler;  Joseph A., in the tow boat business;  Katherine, now the widow
of W. T. Alcorn;  William A., the subject of this sketch, and  Alexander L.,
also in the tow boat business.  William A. Bisso is next to the youngest 
member of his father's family, and has spent his entire life in New Orleans.
His first schooling was received at the McDonough school, No. 14, and after 
this he attended night school for a time at Soulé's Business college, while 
he was at the same time doing survey work for the government with the United
States engineers of the Fourth district.  This work occupied about three 
years of his time, after which he went as a pilot on the Walnut street and 
Westwego ferry for 3 years more.  At the end of that period he bought a tug 
and engaged with his father in upriver towing.  From that time to this he 
has been prominently identified with that business.  After his father's 
death, W. A. Bisso became president of the Bisso Tow Boat Co., a corporation 
organized under Louisiana laws.  About the close of 1908, Mr. Bisso 
organized, and was made president of the New Orleans Coal Co., which does 
an exclusively wholesale business in rail and ship bunker coal, practically 
all the supply coming by rail from the Alabama coal fields.  The plants of 
the coal company and the tow boat company are situated at the foot of Walnut
street in New Orleans, and they also have a branch in Mobile, Ala.  Mr. 
Bisso is a Catholic, a member of the Elks' club, of the Progressive union, 
and the Board of Trade.  He married Miss Cecilia, daughter of A. L. 
Le Breton, and they have 1 son, William, Jr.  In politics Mr. Bisso has 
always accepted the principles of the Democratic party and has taken active 
interest in the local management of its affairs and is one of the men whose 
counsel is sought in matters of importance to the welfare of his district.
Elected on Democratic ticket as alderman of Fourteenth ward;