The Dussault family of Cohoes, New York, descend from French ancestry. The founder of the family in Cohoes is Antoine Dussault, born at Pointe Levis, Canada, March 26, 1849. He was a son of Francis Dussault, a farmer of Port Levis, Canada, born there in 1826, died about 1894, and his wife Olivia Bitner, born in Canada, died in 1894. They were the parents of fifteen children, of whom Antoine was the fourth. His first settlement in the United States was at Bangor, Maine, where he was in the employ of a railroad company. He is a man of great energy and industry, improving every opportunity to secure an education or advance his material interests. After remaining in Bangor several years, he went west and for twelve years was employed as a teamster in the state of Nevada. In 1882 he returned to the east and settled at Cohoes, New York, where in 1884 he in vested the capital he had accumulated by years of economy in a coal and wood yard. He conducted this enterprise successfully and in 1887 added to his growing interests the manufacture of brick. After two years he disposed of the brickyard and invested more heavily in the coal trade, also acquiring possession of a large livery and sales stable. These outside interests were only temporary investments, and for many years he has confined himself to the coal business, which has grown to large proportions. He has been successful in his business enterprises and is a recognized leader among his countrymen. He stands high in all business circles, where he is known as an honorable, upright man, thoroughly responsible and highly respected. He is the friend and counsellor of the people who trust and follow him. He is a Republican in politics and represented the third ward of Cohoes as alderman for the years 1898-99-1900-01-02. He is a familiar figure at local and state conventions of his party, having often been present as delegate. He is a member of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church and is active in the various departments of church work, including the Society of St. Jean Baptiste Benevolent Association, in which he takes a deep interest. He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Benevolent Legion and the Cohoes Business Men's Association. Whether serving himself, his city or his church, he is ever the active, forceful man of business, and renders valuable help to any enterprise with which he is connected. His home in Cohoes on Main street he purchased in 1901, and it is one of the handsomest in that city. He is a fine example of the self-made man and demonstrates the possibilities of advancement to the energetic, clean-living man.
He married, February 25, 1884, at Cohoes, Eugenie, sixth child of a family of thirteen, daughter of Godfrey Beechard, born at Lasalle Byvie, Canada, in 1826, died at Cohoes, March 17, 1907. He was a farmer in his native country, came to the United States in 1869 and settled at Cohoes, where he was a mill operative. He married Celina Boisvert, of Cohoes. Children of Antoine and Eugenie Dussault:
- Frank A., born May 31, 1886, at Cohoes; was educated at St. Joseph's parochial school and Joliette College, at Joliette, Canada, province of Quebec, where he was graduated in 1900. After graduating from Troy Business College in 1903, he engaged with his father in business at Cohoes.
- Antoinette, educated at the Holy Name Academy, at Albany, New York.
- Marie Louise, educated at the same institution as her sister.
- Achille, born August 17, 1892; educated at St. Joseph's parochial school; was a student at Assumption College, Assumption, Canada.
- Paul, born November 4, 1895; attended same schools as his brother Achille.
Both the latter are now (1910) students at St. Lawrence College, at Montreal, Canada.