The family surname has been spelled many ways. In pre-1900 records there is Cassou, Cassout, Cassoutt, Kossa, Capon and Cassau. In the 20th century my line evolved to Casseau. Much of the above can be attributed to an English and pioneer culture trying to cope with a French name and the general state of illiteracy.
In the 1700s the family also used the dit name of Brisetout. It means breaks things or butterfingers.
1.
Antoine Cassou dit Brisetout;
son of Antoine Cassou & Marguerite Perscheur of France;
b. abt 1712 in Couvre parish of St.Jussin, Archdiocese of Paris, Province of Ile;
m. Catherine Corset;
d. before June 6, 1799
Catherine Corset;
daughter of Francois Corset dit Coco and Elizabeth Bienvenu;
b. abt 1730 in Paris, France;
m. (1) Antoine Cassou dit Brisetout;
m. (2) George [Pierre] Pevost;
d. June 6, 1799 in Kaskaskia, Northwest Territory, US
Antoine Cassou was born in the Paris area of France about 1712 and came to Illinois Country as a soldier in the French military sometime after 1730. He was stationed at Fort Chartres on the Mississippi River just north of Kaskaskia. He married Catherine Corset who was also from France on November 23, 1751. At the time of their marriage he was about age 39 and she about 21. Catherine outlived Antoine and next married George [Pierre] Pevost. Her second marriage produced no known children. Catherine died June 6, 1799.
Children of Antoine Cassou dit Brisetout and Catherine Corset
2. i
Nicolas Cassou;
b. August 24, 1759 in Kaskaskia, Illinois Country
3. ii
Dorothee Cassou;
b. July 5, 1765 in Kaskaskia, Illinois Country;
d. before November 8, 1768 in Illinios Country
4. iii
Antoine Cassou dit Brisetout;
b. say 1770;
living in 1814
4.
Antoine Cassou dit Brisetout;
son of Antoine Cassou dit Brisetout & Frances Corset;
b. say 1770;
m. Placide Desgagnes on May 18, 1789 in Kaskaskia, Northwest Territory; US;
living in 1814
Placide Desgagnes;
daughter of Jean Baptist Desgagnes and Marie Louise Hulin;
b. April 2, 1770 in Kaskaskia, Illinois Country;
d. January 17, 1836 in Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois
Children of Antoine Cassou dit Brisetout and Placide Desgagnes
5. i
Nicolas Cassou
b. February 17, 1790 in Kaskaskia, Northwest Territory, US;
d. abt May 25, 1799 in Kaskaskia, Northwest Territory, US
6. ii
Pierre Cassou;
b. March 2, 1793 in Kaskaskia, Northwest Territory;
m. Clemence Chamberlan, daughter of Antoine Chamberlan and Pelaige Davis, January 22, 1827 in Kaskaskia, Randolph Co. Illinois;
d. February 11, 1870
7. iii
Marie Therese Cassou
b. December 20, 1794 in Kaskaskia, Northwest Territory, US
8. iv
Catherine Cassou;
b. August 11, 1797 in Kaskaskia, Northwest Territory, US;
m. Peone Derousse on 8 June 1825
9. v
Nicholas Cassou;
b. February 14, 1801 in Kaskaskia, Indiana Territory, US;
m. Jeanette Tanguay, daughter of Francois Tanguay and Marie Drury on February 19, 1827 in Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois;
d. June 21, 1844
10. vi
Marie Louise Cassou;
b. July 20, 1803 in Kaskaskia, Indiana Territory, US;
m. Etienne Derousse on April 6, 1839 in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois;
d. September 27, 1876
11. vii
Antoine Cassou;
b. December 1805;
m. Ursula Tanguay, daughter of Francois Tanguay and Marie Drury on November 11, 1830;
d. May 11, 1849
12. viii
Marie Louis Cassou;
b. April 23, 1814 in Kaskaskia, Illinois Territory, US
9.
Nicholas Cassou;
son of Antoine Cassou & Placide Desgagnes;
b. February 14, 1801 in Kaskaskia, Indiana Territory, US;
m. Jeanette Tanguay on February 19, 1827 in Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois;
d. June 21, 1844 at age 43
Jeanette Tanguay;
daughter of Francois Tanguay and Marie Drury;
b. abt 1809;
m (1) Nicholas Cassou;
m (2) Louis Bienvenu on January 11, 1854 in Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois;
d. March 9, 1873 in Randolph Co. Illinois
Louis Bienvenu
b. abt 1809;
m. (1) Marie Seguin;
m. (2) Jeanette Cassou nee Tanguay
Children of Nicholas Cassou and Jeanette Tanguay
13. i
Antoine (A. B.) Cassou;
b. December 24, 1830 in Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois;
m. (1) Therese Archange Derousse on May 20, 1852;
m. (2) Marie Louis Elisabeth Derousse on August 16, 1859;
m. (3) Marie Elisabeth Danis February 8, 1881 all in Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois
14. ii
Placide Cassou;
b. November 13, 1831 in Randolph Co., Illinois;
m. Edward Derousse, son of Francois Derousse and Julie Danis on September 7, 1850;
d. November 7, 1854 in Randolph Co., Illinois at age 52
15. iii
Virginia Cassou;
b. June 10, 1834 in Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois;
m. Francois Derousse, son of Francois Derousse and Julie Danis on February 23, 1852 Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois;
m. Rosemond Lemieux, son of Francois Lemieux and Marie Louise Danis on September 8, 1857 Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois
16. iv
Felix Cassou;
b. June 4, 1836 in Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois;
m. Catherine Barutel dit Toulouse on January 13, 1857 Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois;
d. February 6, 1864 at age 27
17. v
Marie Cassou;
b. abt 1838;
m. Israel Seguin February 4, 1851 Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois
18. vi
Domitille Cassou;
b. September 7, 1838 in Randolph Co., Illinois;
m. Joseph Derousse, son of Francois Derousse and Julie Danis, April 22, 1856 Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois
19. vii
Nicolas Cassou;
b. February 22, 1841 in Kaskaskia, Illinois;
m. Celstine Seguin, daughter of Antoine Seguin and Emilie Bienvenu on September 5, 1865 Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois;
d. 1909 in St. Louis, Missouri
20. vi
Louis Cassou;
b. March 9, 1844 in Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois
Children of Jeanette Tanguay and Louis Bienvenu
*
Celestine Bienvenu;
b. abt 1855 in Illinois; living in 1860
16.
Felix Cassou;
son of Nicholas Cassou & Jeanette Tanguay;
b. June 4, 1836 in Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois;
m. Catherine Barutel;
d. February 6, 1864 at age 27
Catherine Barutel dit Toulouse;
daughter of Antoine Barutel dit Toulouse and Aspasie Danis;
b. July 25, 1837 in Randolph Co., Illinois;
d. March 20, 1864 in Randolph Co., Illinois at age 26
Felix and Catherine were married on January 13, 1857 in Randolph Co., Illinois. They were enumerated as Felix and Catherine Kossa in the 1860 Kaskaskia census with their first two children. Both died within a few months of each other in 1864. They were only 27 and 26 years old.
Children ofFelix Cassou and Catherine Barutel dit Toulouse
21. i
William Albert Cassou;
b. November 12, 1857 in Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois;
m. Josephine Lafleur, daughter of Charles Cabresprine dit Lafleur and Catherine Charleville on December 16, 1877 in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois
22. ii
Aspasie Elizabeth Cassou;
b. July 9, 1859;
living in 1864
23. iii
Francis [Frank] Edward Cassou;
b. August 20, 1860;
d. August 16, 1867 in Randolph Co., Illinois, at age 6
24. vi
Antoine Cassou;
b. March 21, 1863 in Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois;
m. Helena Anna Kissen;
d. October 25, 1936 Waterloo, Monroe Co., Illinois, at age 73
24.
Antoine Cassou;
son of Felix Cassou & Catherine Barutel dit Toulouse;
b. March 21, 1863 in Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois;
d. October 25, 1936 Waterloo, Monroe Co., Illinois, at age 73
Helena Anna Kissen;
daughter of Bernard Kissen and M. Elisabeth Griek;
b. January 25, 1876 in Holland or Germany;
d. November 24, 1948 in Waterloo, Monroe Co., Illinois at age 72
Both of Antoine's parents died before he was one year old. He may have been raised in his Uncle Antoine's household and indeed their is a child listed in that household in the 1880 Kaskaskia census as William, cousin, age 17. The speculation is that he was called William rather than Antoine to avoid conflict with his uncle and his younger first cousin both of whom were also named Antoine.
He married Helena Anna Kissen on November 14.1893 in Ruma, Randolph County, Illinois. They moved north a few miles to Red Bud and the a few more miles to Waterloo in Monroe County. Helen Anna was born in Germany or Holland and came to Illinois with her parents at about age 8 in 1884.
Children of Antoine Cassou and Helena Anna Kissen
25. i
Mary Casseau;
b. September 30, 1895 in Ruma, Randolph Co., Illinois;
m. Louis C. Goessling;
d. December 15, 1953 Belleville, St. Clair Co., Illinois, at age 58
26. ii
Theresa Casseau;
b. October 22, 1896 in Illinois;
m. William Bechtoldt;
d. June 29, 1954 Belleville, St. Clair Co., Illinois, at age 57
27. iii
Irene M. Casseau;
Irene M. Casseau;
b. May 10, 1900 in Prairie Du Rocher, Randolph Co., Illinois;
m. William Fred Jehling, son of Fred Jehling and Minnie (-?-) on February 27, 1919 in Waterloo, Monroe Co., Illinois;
d. October 5, 1967 Red Bud, Randolph Co., Illinois, at age 67
28. iv
William John Casseau;
b. October 6, 1903 in Red Bud, Illinois;
m.(1) Irene Lillian Lorenz, daughter of Robert Hugo Lorenz and Hanna Catherine Mueller, February 4, 1925 Waterloo, Monroe Co., Illinois;
m. (2) Shirley (-?-) say 1975;
d. November, 1983 in Missouri at age 80
29. v
Leo Joseph Cassau;
b. May 2, 1907;
d. January 23, 1908 in Red Bud, Randolph Co., Illinois
30. vi
Frieda Lucile Casseau;
b. May 6, 1910 in Red Bud, Randolph Co., Illinois;
m. Vernon Connors;
d. November 7, 1979 in Sacramento Co., California, at age 69
28.
William John Casseau
son of Antoine Cassou & Helena Anna Kisson
Irene Lillian Lorenz
daughter of Robert Hugo Lorenz & Hanna Catherine Mueller
Shirley (-?-)
Children ofWilliam John Casseau and Irene Lillian Lorenz
31. i
Betty Ann Casseau;
m. Peter Aloysuis Moleski
32. ii
Roberta Jean Casseau;
m. Herbert Leonard Fritsche;
m. Jerome M. Files;
m. Charles J. Bone
33. iii
William Urban Casseau;
m. Joyce Mary Lichtenberg
