Willis Duke Weatherford was born on December 1, 1875 near Weatherford, Texas. Following the Civil War, he and his family relocated to the mountains of Western North Carolina. An influential and prominent supporter of the work of the YMCA, Weatherford is perhaps best remembered for his leadership in establishing and growing the Blue Ridge Assembly, a 1,200 acre retreat near Black Mountain, North Carolina. He died in Madison County, Kentucky on February 21, 1970.