William Le Baron is one of the earliest of the hardy men who invaded nature’s domain in the interests of civilization in what is now Nez Perces County. He has labored with assiduity and wisdom all the intervening years for the advancement and progress of the country and has gained the good will, high esteem and confidence of all who may have the pleasure of his acquaintance. William Le Baron was born in Saline, Washtenaw County, Michigan, August 20, 1838, being the son of Uriah and Lois (Sephard) Le Baron, natives of New York, and among the first settlers in that section of Michigan. Our subject grew up on a farm and gained a good education from the public schools and the Ypsilanti Normal school. When nineteen, our subject came to Missouri on a sightseeing trip, then made his way to Nebraska and thence drove a freight team of oxen to Salt Lake. Soon he was in California and devoted himself to mining there until 1861. Next we see him in Applegate, Josephine County, Oregon, where he mined one year. In the early part of 1862 Mr. Le Baron came to Lewiston and thence he went to the famous camps of Florence, Warren, Orifino and others, settling in 1863 on a preemption four miles east from Lewiston, now known as the Porter ranch which was his abode until 1880. In that year Mr. Le Baron sold his property and engaged m rafting timber down the Clearwater, being the first in that business. He was assisted in these labors by his partner, Charles Carlton. In 1S90 Mr. Le Baron came to his present place adjoining Cavendish. He bought half of a sawmill from A. E. Snell and in 1895 filed on one hundred and twenty acres of land on the reservation. He also purchased a quarter section and all of this land is outside of the reservation. About 1898, Mr. Le Baron bought out Mr. Snell. He now has a fine mill and is turning out all kinds of timber products, having a first class patronage. Mr. Le Baron has two brothers living, Charles and Marshall. The former is a real estate agent in Los Angeles, California, while the latter is a railroad official in Colorado. Mr. Le Baron is a Democrat in politics and has been a delegate to the conventions many times but never pressed forward for preferment. He is one of the substantial and leading men of this section and stands secure in the good opinions of his neighbors. He is a man of ability and wisdom and has displayed his integrity and sound principles always.
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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