Preston Alonzo Weatherred

WEATHERRED, PRESTON ALONZO (1884-1967) Lt. General Preston A. Weatherred, attorney and commander of the Texas National Guard, was born August 11, 1884, IN Oceola, Hill County, Texas. He was only 15 when he joined the Texas National Guard in 1900 in Hillsboro, Texas. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant of Infantry in July, 1902; First Lieutenant in July, 1903 and Captain in July 1910. He received a law degree from the University of Texas in 1912 and began practicing law in Waco, Texas. He was called into federal service in May, 1916 for Mexican Border service where he became a Major of Company K, 2nd Texas Infantry. During World War I he served with the 36th Infantry Division and went on to become commander of the division. Weatherred served in that position from 1921 through 1925 and was charged with the reorganization of the 36th Division following World War I. Weatherred was later named commander of the Texas National Guard in 1948. When not in the service of his country, Weatherred practiced law in Waco and Houston, Texas as well as in Washington, D.C., New York and Boston, Massachusetts. In 1937 he moved to Dallas, Texas where he continued as a practicing attorney and a business and civic leader. Lt. General Preston A. Weatherred retired in 1948. Governor Shivers signed a proclamation in 1955 allowing for General and Mrs. Weatherred to be interred at the Texas State Cemetery. General Weatherred died December 2, 1967 at a Dallas hospital at the age of 83. He was survived by his wife, Irene Warren Weatherred, a son, Preston A. Weatherred Jr. of Houston, and two daughters, Mrs. Barnes F. Lathrop of Austin and Mrs. Ed C. Castle of Louisiana. BIBLIOGRAPHY: "General's Services Held Here", unidentified Dallas newspaper, Tuesday, December 5, 1967; various found-in-file letters from the deceased to the State Board of Control; "Statement of Service of Preston A. Weatherred", State of Texas Adjutant General's Department, Austin, Texas.