Background
William Le Baron was born on May 26, 1835 in Bath, Maine, United States. He was the son of Dr. Israel and Sarah Emery (Frost) Putnam, and a descendant of John Putnam who settled at Salem, Massachussets, before 1641.
William Le Baron was born on May 26, 1835 in Bath, Maine, United States. He was the son of Dr. Israel and Sarah Emery (Frost) Putnam, and a descendant of John Putnam who settled at Salem, Massachussets, before 1641.
William Le Baron Putnam was educated in the public schools and at Bowdoin College, graduating in 1855. In the office of Bronson & Sewall of Bath he studied law.
Putnam served as editor of the Bath Daily Times and as assistant clerk (1856) of the state House of Representatives. In 1858 he was admitted to the bar and moved to Portland to become the law partner of George Evans. This association, which lasted until Evans' death in 1867, was of great value to Putnam, introducing him to a desirable clientele and training him in mercantile and corporation law.
He was mayor of Portland in 1869. He was also retained for the Portland owners of the Ella M. Doughty, one of the fishing schooners seized and held at Halifax by the Canadian government. He defended the will of Abner Coburn, and, as the executor of Israel Washburn's estate, held the controlling interest in the Rumford Falls & Buckfield Railroad, which he served as president, 1884-92.
His skill and knowledge in this case induced Secretary of State Bayard to ask him to be a member of the commission appointed to negotiate with Great Britain over the rights of American fishermen in Canadian waters. A treaty was concluded by this commission February 15, 1888, only to be defeated in Congress. Putnam was the defeated Democratic candidate for the governorship of Maine. He was also the American member of the Bering Sea Claims Commission, 1896-97, under the treaty of February 8, 1896.
By appointment of President Harrison he became, March 17, 1892, judge of the circuit court of appeals for the first circuit, a position which he occupied until his resignation in September 1917. He died on February 5, 1918.
During his active practice William Le Baron Putnam was prominent as a United States federal judge. He became known in Washington through his appearances before the Supreme Court in Alabama Claims cases and in the Peleg Chandler $200, 000 bond case. His decision of which he was most proud was that in the Reece Button-Hole case. Perhaps the best-known case with which he was connected was that of the German steamship Kronprinzessin Cecilie.
Putnam was a Democrat by inheritance and conviction.
William Le Baron Putnam had a great and perhaps undue respect for English and eastern United States precedents; he was very proud of his library of English chancery reports. In questions of equity he was much more at home than in the technical details of the patent cases with which he often had to deal. Of patent law he had complete command but, perhaps because of his near-sightedness, he was not quick in comprehending the workings of machines.
From his father, Putnam inherited a rugged strength, both physical and mental, and a brusque, booming voice, not unfamiliar with sarcasm. Underneath his gruff exterior he was sympathetic and warm-hearted, with a keen appreciation of a good story, and many a young lawyer was aided by his friendly interest and advice.
William Le Baron married, May 29, 1862, Octavia Bowman Robinson of Augusta, Maine. There were no children.
