Background
William Waldo was born in Gasconade County, Missouri, on April 22, 1832 to Daniel and Malinda Lunsford Waldo.
William Waldo was born in Gasconade County, Missouri, on April 22, 1832 to Daniel and Malinda Lunsford Waldo.
Willamette University.
Born in Missouri, he came to the Country with his family that included father Daniel Waldo. He would serve in the State Senate, including as president of the body in 1885. In 1843, the family traveled the Trail to Country along with neighbors Jesse and Lindsay Applegate.
William joined the militia during the Cayuse War, serving for the Provisional Government of in the war against those responsible for the Whitman Massacre.
In 1849, he headed south to California for the gold mines. There he worked at Yreka before returning to Missouri in 1852.
Waldo purchased and drove 300 head of cattle to in 1853 to the family’s farm in the Waldo Hills. Foreign a few years he traveled back and forth from his birth state to what was the Territory, even attending the University of Missouri at one time.
After returning to permanently, William Waldo attended Willamette University in Salem.
He then read law from future governor and Senator Louisiana Fayette Grover, passing the bar in 1863. After practicing law for a period he entered politics. In 1878, he joined the State Senate, representing Marion County as a Republican.
He continued to serve in the 1880 and 1882 sessions of the Legislative Assembly, with no session held in 1884.
During the 1885 regular and special sessions of the legislature Waldo served as the President of the Senate. He would serve as a county judge for Marion County from July 1890 to June 1891, at that time the position was part of the Marion County Commissioners Court.
His farm is now within the city of Salem. William Waldo died on November 24, 1911 at the age of 79.
Waldo Park in Salem is named in his honor.