"Illustrated History of Lane County, Oregon." Portland, Oregon: A. G. Walling,
publisher, 1884.  pg. 481.
 
HON. D. M. RISDON
     This pioneer of Oregon, and especially of Eugene City, was born in
Fairfield county, Vermont, June 3, 1823.  Among her wooded hills he was reared
to manhood, and received a liberal education.  Realizing that the west had
better advantages for one to obtain wealth or fame than his native state, he
bade farewell to the Green mountains and went to Stark county, Illinois, and
commenced life as a school teacher.  It was not long, however, before he went to
Peoria, and studied law with Honorable H. O. Merriman and on July 7, 1849, he
was admitted to practice in all the courts of Illinois.  His certificate was
signed by S. H. Treat and J. D. Caton members of the Supreme bench, who did then
and do now enjoy the highest reputation as jurists and statesmen.  The gold
excitement induced the subject of our sketch to cross the plains to California
in 1850, but he remained here only a short time for we find him in Oregon in
December of that year, and in January, 1851, he located a claim adjoining that
of Eugene F. Skinner which was to be his future home.  On this land he erected a
house which was the nucleous of the Eugene City of today.  We think none will
attempt to dispute the fact that the prosperous capital of Lane county, with its
wealth, its neat tasty residences, its reputation as a city of learning and
morality, is largely due to the energy and influence of Judge Risdon and his
co-pioneers.  This gentleman's good deeds have placed him in honorable positions
which will hand his name down to future generations.  He was elected to
represent Lane county in the Territorial assembly in 1851-2, and since County
Judge, together with other county offices.  He married Pauline Gertrude Wright,
daughter of Ezekiel Wright, on October 8, 1853.  Augustus D., and Ella Pauline
are their children.

 
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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in May 2005 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.