A list of Nez Perces County’s orchardists and real estate holders would by no means be complete were there failure to mention the well known citizen whose name initiates this paragraph. Mr. Delsol is one of the pioneers of this country, has labored faithfully and intelligently for its up building and advancement, has demonstrated the fruit culture to be a successful industry, being one of the first men who planted fruit here and also one of those whose efforts have continued with commendable progress and success, and now he stands one of the leaders in his line. Three miles east from Lewiston is his home place, which consists of three hundred and thirty-five acres of good soil. He does a general farming business and has some stock, but his attention is largely devoted to fruit, of which he has thirty-five acres. In 1872 Mr. Delsol planted the first grape vines in this country, sending to California for them. They have been a success and the two acres planted then are regularly bearing now and have been during the intervening time. He has a good house and all the outbuildings that are needed.
Louis Delsol was born in France, on March 25, 1838 being the son of natives of that land. His parents died when he was small and he has but slight remembrance of them. In his native place, Louis received a good education and remained until he was twenty-one years old. Then he came to New York and thence, via Panama, to San Francisco, where an older brother had preceded him about two years.
He arrived in the Golden state in i860, and soon was in the mines hard at work for the hidden treasure and at this he wrought for a number of years and then came to Canyon City, Oregon, where he delved for gold for a time and then went to the Salmon river mines, remaining four years, until 1870. Then Mr. Delsol came to Lewiston and took his present land from the government. At the time of the Nez Perces war he was in San Francisco and learning of it he speedily came home and assisted to stand guard. A number of French miners on the Salmon came trooping into his place at this time and remained there several months or until hostilities ceased.
Mr. Delsol is interested in commercial pursuits in Lewiston and is constantly investing more. He is one of the genial and affable celibatarian of the County and is popular with all. He takes an active part in politics, being a Democrat, and has done duty in numerous conventions. In religious persuasion he is a Catholic, and fraternally he is a thirty-second degree Mason. Mr. Delsol has two brothers and one sister, Frank, Baptiste and August.
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Source: An Illustrated History of Northern Idaho, Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903