Thomas Riboud

Born in Bourg (Ain) on October 24, 1755, died in Jasseron (Ain) on August 6, 1835, "son of Jean-Bernard Riboud, lawyer of the Bresse court, and of Marie-Philiberte Perrier", he was admitted to the Dijon parliament at the age of 19. Shortly afterwards, he went to Lyon to practice law and founded, with Gerson and Geoffroy, a literary society of which he remained one of the most active members. Procurator of the king at the presidial of Bourg and subdelegate of the stewardship of Bourg-en-Bresse in 1779, he showed himself to be a supporter of new ideas, presided, in 1787, over the assembly of the notables of Bresse, became, in 1790, procurator general syndic of the department of Ain, and was elected, on September 1, 1791, deputy of this department at the Legislative Assembly, the 4th out of 6, by 296 votes (327 voters).

He took his place among the Feuillants, was in favor of reforms, but fought against revolutionary measures, especially those aimed at emigrants and priests under oath. Suspected during the Terror, he was arrested and imprisoned in Paris; he only owed his freedom to the fall of Robespierre. The Directoire appointed him judge at the court of Ain, on 25 Vendémiaire year IV; but, favorable to the royalist reaction, Riboud was dismissed at the 18 fructidor.

Elected, on the 23rd germinal year VII, deputy of Ain to the Council of Five Hundred, by 121 votes (226 voters), he took his place again among the moderates and joined the 18 brumaire. Sent as a professor at the Central School of Bourg (year VIII), he was appointed, a few months later, prefecture councillor of Ain (9 germinal), then president of the criminal court of the department, ten days later.

Member of the Legion of Honor (25 prairial year XII), he was chosen by the conservative Senate as deputy of the Ain in the legislative body on March 7, 1807; his mandate was renewed on January 6, 1813. He was a member of the legislative committee and was rapporteur for several titles of the civil code.

Created knight of the empire on December 21, 1808, appointed president of chamber at the imperial court of Lyon on April 2, 1811, he joined the government of the Bourbons, and was elected, on May 14, 1815, representative to the House of the Hundred Days by the great college of Ain, with 60 votes (119 voters, 278 registered), but his election was annulled.

Honorary President at the Royal Court of Lyon on October 25, 1815, he devoted himself from then on exclusively to his literary work and to his collaboration with the academic society of which he was one of the founders. Correspondent of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres, Mr. Riboud published: Etrennes littéraires (1785); Eloge d'Agnès Sorel : (Lyon, 1786); Essai sur les moyens de subvenir aux besoins publics (1790); Recherches sur l'origine, les mœurs et usages de quelques communes de l'Ain (Paris, 1810); Etudes sur l'histoire départementale de l'Ain par les monuments (Annuaire de l'Ain, 1824-1827).

He was promoted to the rank of officer in the order of the Legion of Honor on January 25, 1815.