Weatherford, William

Died: 1849-07-04 Texas

Flourished: Morgan County, Illinois

Prior to moving to Illinois, Weatherford married his wife, Nancy, in 1816, in Tennessee. After moving to Illinois, they settled in Morgan County. In 1832, he was a captain in the Black Hawk War. After the war, Weatherford was a part of the negotiations with the United Tribes of Chippewa, Ottawa, and Pottawatami regarding the Treaty of Chicago in 1833. In 1834, he was elected into the Illinois Senate and served three consecutive terms, 1834 to 1836, 1836 to 1838, and 1838 to 1840, representing Morgan County. He was later elected into the Illinois House of Representatives for one term, 1842 to 1844, representing Morgan County. After serving in the Illinois House, Weatherford was a colonel in the Mexican-American War, 1846 to 1848. He was the colonel of the First Regiment of Illinois Volunteers. While fighting in Mexico, Weatherford contracted a disease. Upon returning home after the war, and still very ill, he and his family moved to Texas, in 1849. He later passed away that year and left behind his wife and son.

The Reports of the Committees of the Senate of the United States for the Second Session, Thirty-third Congress (Washington, DC: Beverly Tucker, 1855), Rep. Com. No. 486; William Henry Perrin, ed., History of Cass County, Illinois (Chicago: O.L. Baskin, 1882), 26; John Clayton, comp., The Illinois Fact Book and Historical Almanac, 1673-1968 (Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1970), 14, 204, 205, 207, 211; Charles M. Eames, comp., Historic Morgan and Classic Jacksonville (Jacksonville, Illinois: Daily Journal Steam Job Printing, 1885), 118; John C. Rives, The Congressional Globe (Washington, DC: Office of John C. Rives, 1856), 1084; Illinois House Journal. 1852. 17th G. A., 154.