Bisso, William A.

Submitted by Mike Miller

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 builtthrough 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 widowof 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 UnitedStates 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 Walnutstreet 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.

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.