For many generations the Favreau family were inhabitants of Canada, where they were land-owners and farmers usually, self-respecting and estimable people. The line of Napoleon Favreau, a prosperous merchant of Cohoes, New York, where he was born and lived all his life, traces on the paternal side to his grandfather, Pierre Favreau, and on the maternal side across the seas to Germany. The Favreaus are of French ancestry but the line is not traced beyond Canada.
(I) Pierre Favreau, born in Boucherville, province of Quebec, Canada, died at the age of sixty-six. He married Sophie Roegue, born in Verchères, Quebec, Canada, died at age of eighty. Pierre Favreau was one of the oldest of a family of twenty-one children, twelve of whom were sons. His father married three times and he was a child of the first wife. Pierre and Sophie Favreau were the parents of five sons and three daughters. Louis (see forward) was the fifth child.
(II) Louis, son of Pierre and Sophie (Roegue) Favreau, was born at Grand Bois, Ste. Marie, near Farnham, province of Quebec, Canada, August 24, 1832, died at Cohoes, New York, July 22, 1901. He married, November 22, 1853, Clemence Leppe, born April 9, 1836, at Charlotte, Vermont, died at Cohoes, January 27, 1900, daughter of Eustace Leppe, born in province of Quebec, Canada, about 1792, died at St. Gregorie, Quebec, Canada, about 1837. He married Susanne Maille, born 1792, in the same province, died at Charlotte, Vermont, 1832. Eustace and Susanne Leppe were the parents of twelve children, all daughters, Clemence, wife of Louis Favreau, being the youngest, her mother dying at her birth. The father of Eustace Leppe was born in Germany, came to Canada, where he died at age of ninety; his wife died aged one hundred and two years. Louis Favreau, after coming to the United States and settling at Cohoes, New York, worked for a time in the Harmony Mills, then assisted his sons in their mercantile business until his death.
(III) Napoleon, son of Louis and Clemence (Leppe) Favreau, was born in Cohoes, New York, May 30, 1869. He was educated in the public schools of Cohoes and St. Joseph's parochial school, and after his school days were ended worked in Harmony Mills. In 1885 he became clerk and bookkeeper for the firm of Favreau Brothers, composed of two of his brothers, Joseph D. and Henry Favreau. They originally started as a grocery firm, but as prosperity followed they added other departments. In 1889 Joseph D. withdrew from the firm and in 1895 Henry Favreau died. Having acquired a thorough knowledge of the business in his ten years as employee and having some means at his command, Napoleon purchased the business in 1895 and has since continued as owner and proprietor. The stock now includes dry goods and shoes, as well as groceries, and quite recently Mr. Favreau has added a meat market department. He has erected a fine new three-story brick building on the corner of Gainer street and Johnston avenue with handsome residential apartments above and commodious business quarters below. The business is prosperous and well located in Cohoes. He employs eighteen assistants, and is recognized and honored as one of the leading merchants and respected members of the French colony, while he is exceedingly popular among all classes. He is a Republican but is more of a business man than a politician. He served on the board of health as health commissioner for four years, 1902-6. He is a member of St. Marie's Roman Catholic church, is president of La Salle Council, No. 129, and an active member of "Le Union St. Jean Baptiste d'Amerique," having served as vice-president, 1908, and president, 1909. He is a leading spirit in the recently formed "Franco-American Association of Cohoes." He married, September 18, 1894, Addie E. Ritchie, born in Plattsburgh, New York, but from infancy a resident of Cohoes, daughter of Peter, born 1825, died 1893, and Sophronia (Petit) Ritchie, born 1832, died 1906. No issue.