This family was founded in the United States by William Maisonneuve, of Canada, grandson of a prominent mason and builder of Terbonne, Canada, who was the builder of many of the stone churches found in that country and section.
(I) Antoine Maisonneuve was born at St. Jerome, Province of Quebec, Canada, in 1811, died at St. Phillippi, Canada, October 25, 1894. He learned the trade of his father and became a contractor himself. He always remained in Canada, where he married Angelica Constantineau, born in Canada, who survives her husband, a resident of Ottawa, Canada. Children:
- William, see forward.
- ————, born 1857; a stone mason of Brownburg, Canada.
- Mary Louise, born in Ottawa, Canada; married John Patrie.
- Annie, married ———— Le Blanc; resides in Michigan.
- Mathilda, married Leon De Lorne, of a wealthy and prominent family of Canada; resides in Ottawa.
(II) William, son of Antoine and Angelica (Constantineau) Maisonneuve, was born in Ottawa, Canada, January 28, 1855. He was educated at St. Joseph's College of that city, graduating in 1868, and in 1872 settled in the United States at Marquette, Michigan, going from thence to Woonsocket, Rhode Island, where he remained two years. In 1876 he settled in Cohoes, New York, remaining but a short time. After two years spent in Montana he returned to Cohoes. In 1880 he was appointed to the police force, where he continued six years. In 1886 he resigned and established himself in the business he has since so successfully conducted. He deals in smoked meats, prepared by the Swift Company of Chicago, and has an extensive trade in Cohoes and surrounding towns. He is independent in politics, supporting the National Republican candidates, but in local affairs follows his preferences, acting usually with the Democratic party. He served one term as school commissioner, elected in 1899. He is a member of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, and is an active and influential member of the Society of St. Jean Baptiste, a national benevolent, charitable and social organization, organized in 1871, maintaining reading rooms and libraries and providing for the social and spiritual uplift of its members. He was corresponding secretary of the Cohoes branch, in 1882-87-88; president in 1895, and again in 1899.
He married (first), May, 1876, Octavia Giroux, born in Canada, died March 15, 1893, in Cohoes, daughter of Louis and Octavia Maguin, of Canada. Children, nine in number, six of whom died in infancy:
- Joseph Israel, born June 17, 1884, in Cohoes; resides in Albany, where he is connected with the New York Central Railroad Company.
- Victor, born in Cohoes, June 13, 1885, resides in Cohoes, where he is an employee of the Page Rolling Mill Company; married Elizabeth McNamara and has a daughter Mildred.
- George William, born in Cohoes, July 31, 1890; resides in Albany; in the employ of the New York Central Railroad Company.
He married (second), March 27, 1894, Mary Esther Ruboi, born at Rouse's Point, New York, daughter of Joseph Ruboi, born at Three Rivers, Canada, in 1847, now (1910) a carpenter and builder of Cohoes, and his wife, Esther (Chevalier) Ruboi, born in Rouse's Point, New York.