Stephen Duley Ruddell was a grandson of Capt. Isaac Ruddell, and son of Stephen Ruddell. He was born June 16, 1816 in Bourbon County, Kentucky one of the first grandchildren born after both Isaac & Elizabeth Ruddell passed away in Ruddle's Mills.

Stephen D. Ruddell moved to Oregon Territory in the early 1850s and took part in the Monticello Convention to form a new territory from Oregon. Congress approved the request and stipulated the new territory be named Washington.

Below is a picture of Stephen's son William Hendry, with his large family:

Stephen Duley Ruddell's step-son, Urban East Hicks was a journalist and publisher. Below is an excerpt from a narrative about the Oregon Trail, published in 1901.