In 1850, he lived in Lamar, Texas with his family. He was 38, wife Rebecca was 33. Their children were Jack, 13, William, 11, Tennessee, 8, Elizabeth, 6, Martha, 4, and Mary Jane, 1. Mary Jane was born in Texas, the rest in Tennessee.

In 1860, he lived in the Choctaw Nation with his family. He and Rebecca were 44. Jack was 21, Elizabeth 15, Martha 13, Mary Jane 10, and Atwood was 3. Mary Jane was born in Texas and Atwood was born in the Choctaw Nation.

He was promoted from 1st to 3rd Lieutenant with the U.S. Indian Troops, serving with Company E in the 1st Choctaw Cavalry Regiment in the Confederate Army.

In 1885, appeared on the Choctaw Nation U.S. Indian Census Schedule in Blue County as G.W. Risner, a white man. He was 69 and owned 140 acres, 83 horses, 100 cattle, and 200 hogs. He also had 8 bales of cotton and 1000 bushels of corn.