Fresno County, California Biographies

Source: History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of 
the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with 
its growth and development from the early days to the present (1919)

History By Paul E. Vandor 
Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes 
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919
 
Notes: Missing+page1185-1186

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


JUDGE E. W. RISLEY.� In the passing of Judge E. W. Risley. prom- 
inent for many years in the political and civic life of Fresno, the city lost 
one of her most highly respected and useful citizens. He was born in New 
Haven, Conn., March 1, 1853, and was a direct descendent of Richard Risley, 
founder of Hartford, Conn., in the year 1635. When a lad he went to Gales- 
burg, Ill., and at the age of twenty-one graduated from Knox College, having 
also studied law during the last two years of his college life. In 1874 he 
started West, his goal being California. During the silver boom he sought 
a foothold in Nevada and in California, from Shasta to San Diego. 

Judge Risley's name, before he came to Fresno, was woven conspicu- 
ously into the story of Arizona's rapid development. At the time of the 
great mineral discoveries in Tombstone, Ariz., he went over the desert by 
pack train and met with the usual vicissitudes of the pioneer, sometimes a 
millionaire in his mind and sometimes a pauper in fact. At one time he was 
official court reporter of the entire Territory of Arizona, which necessitated 
his traveling from one end of the territory to the other in the performance 
of his official duties. He was also a deputy United States marshal and deputy 
district attorney of Cochise County, wherein was situated the city of Tomb- 
stone, and was clerk of the board of supervisors of Pina County. During his 
stay in Tucson he became, in turn, deputy United States district attorney 
and member of the Tucson city council, and saw the change of Tucson from a 
Spanish pueblo to a modern American city. As a member of the territorial 
legislature, later, he was chairman of the judicial and appropriations com- 
mittees. 

Judge Risley came to Fresno in 1885, and was at once admitted to the 
Supreme Court of the State of California and to the United States Supreme 
Court. He was deputy district attorney of Fresno County under Firman 
Church and W. D. Tupper, and as city attorney under the old Spinney regime 
did much to maintain order and keep the two factions from an open rupture, 
insisting upon the enforcement of the city ordinances. For six years he 
served as superior judge of Fresno County ; and of the many decisions he 
rendered, many of them on murder charges, not one was ever reversed by 
the Supreme Court. At the close of his term, although earnestly solicited by 
his many friends to continue in office, he declined, wishing to devote his 
time and" energy to his private affairs. Notwithstanding this decision, he took 
an active part, as a freeholder, in making the existing city charter, and acted 
as police and fire commissioner for four years. 

Judge Risley's wife was before her marriage Miss Eleanor Merrill, a 
native of Illinois. She died in 1913. Judge Risley died on December 15, 
1918, and his funeral services were conducted at the crematory by his life 
long friend, fudge M. K. Harris. Judge Risley's request was that at death 
there should be no flowers, "but dust unto dust, and unto dust to lie with- 
out glory, without pomp, without end." He was eminently worthy of the 
honor and respect accorded him by his friends and colleagues, who mourn 
his untimely demise. The judge is survived by his son, Thomas E., of Fresno, 
and a daughter, Mrs. Marguerite Rowe, of Los Angeles.