William B. DuPre House

408 West Commercial Street

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DuPre arrived in Victoria in May of 1914 (at age 50) to serve as general manager of the Texas Southern Electric Company, predecessor of Central Power & Light. By 1916, Mr. DuPre was manager of the Guadalupe River Navigation Company, which was succeeded by the Victoria Sand and Gravel Company. Mr. DuPre passed away February 10, 1932 and was buried in Evergreen Cemetery. His wife, Selina passed on October 26, 1949.

 

The DuPre children were all born in Gaffney, South Carolina and all were well-educated. Their lives show a marked diversity from each other. When his family moved to Texas, William Lipscomb DuPre (1897–1991) remained behind to finish his schooling. Once in Texas, he attended Rice University. On June 6, 1923, he married Margaret E. DeTar (1900 – 1974), whose father and brother founded DeTar Hospital. William was the only DuPre child to marry, and he and Margaret had the only DuPre grandchild, Beverly Bell DuPre. William Lipscomb DuPre passed away at the age of ninety-four.

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Learn more about this beautiful home in Volume II of Historic Homes of Victoria, available here online through our SHOP or at the Victoria Preservation, Inc. office.