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Descended from a pioneer Union Parish family of [[France|French]], [[Germany|German]], and [[England|English]] origins, Fred Preaus was the older of wo sons of Harry Preaus, Sr. (1887-1951), and the former Sallie Tidwell (1887-1951), the daughter of David C Tidwell, a prominent planter from Sterlington in Ouachita Parish, who died in 1921, and the former Mary Etta Daniel (1859-1956), a native of Mer Rouge in Morehouse Parish.<ref name=medt/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Preaus&GSiman=1&GScty=55263&GRid=38119921&|title=Harry Preaus, Sr.|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=February 14, 2015}}</ref>  

Descended from a pioneer Union Parish family of [[France|French]], [[Germany|German]], and [[England|English]] origins, Fred Preaus was the older of wo sons of Harry Preaus, Sr. (1887-1951), and the former Sallie Tidwell (1887-1951), the daughter of David C Tidwell, a prominent planter from Sterlington in Ouachita Parish, who died in 1921, and the former Mary Etta Daniel (1859-1956), a native of Mer Rouge in Morehouse Parish.<ref name=medt/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Preaus&GSiman=1&GScty=55263&GRid=38119921&|title=Harry Preaus, Sr.|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=February 14, 2015}}</ref>  

Sallie Preaus was the first woman to register to vote in Union Parish with ratification in 1920 of the [[19th Amendment]] to the [[United States Constitution]].<ref name=mhwr>''Minden Herald and Webster Review'', December 8, 1955, p. 9.</ref> Preaus's maternal uncle was Charles Ruffin Tidwell (1894-1967), a former streets and parks commissioner for [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], Louisiana, when that city operated under the city commission form of government.<ref name=medt>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/72021298|title=Obituary of Mary Etta Daniel Tidwell (grandmother of Fred Preaus)|date=October 10, 1956|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=February 15, 2015}}</ref>​

Sallie Preaus was the first woman to register to vote in Union Parish with ratification in 1920 of the [[19th Amendment]] to the [[United States Constitution]].<ref name=mhwr>''Minden Herald and Webster Review,'' December 8, 1955, p. 9.</ref> Preaus's maternal uncle was Charles Ruffin Tidwell (1894-1967), a former streets and parks commissioner for [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], Louisiana, when that city operated under the city commission form of government.<ref name=medt>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/72021298|title=Obituary of Mary Etta Daniel Tidwell (grandmother of Fred Preaus)|date=October 10, 1956|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=February 15, 2015}}</ref>​

In 1933, Preaus graduated from [[Louisiana Tech University]] in nearby [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]] in Lincoln Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/lincoln/history/schools/tech1933.txt|title=Louisiana Tech, 1933|publisher=usgwarchives.net|accessdate=September 5, 2010}}</ref> In 1953, Preaus was named the president of the Louisiana Tech Alumni Association.

In 1933, Preaus graduated from [[Louisiana Tech University]] in nearby [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]] in Lincoln Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/lincoln/history/schools/tech1933.txt|title=Louisiana Tech, 1933|publisher=usgwarchives.net|accessdate=September 5, 2010}}</ref> In 1953, Preaus was named the president of the Louisiana Tech Alumni Association.

Right out of college, Preaus purchased Mitchell [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]], the company dealership in Farmerville, which also sold Mercury [[automobile]]s. In 1946, he opened a new building for the company, and his brother, Harry Preaus, Jr. (1915-1998), joined him as a partner. After their retirements, Joe and John Preaus took over the company.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u6tICgUupecC&pg=PA19&lpg=PA19&dq=Fred+Preaus+of+Farmerville&source=bl&ots=9FRdE_n5l-&sig=DT4aRxCoARANwf2M74zA6LlFxQQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=EebgVJ6TCca1ggS-84GoDQ&ved=0CDwQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=Fred%20Preaus%20of%20Farmerville&f=false|title=Union Parish|page=19|author=W. Gene Barron|date=2012|publisher=Arcadia Publishing Company|location=[[Charleston]], [[South Carolina]]|isbn=978-0-7-3859167-4|accessdate=February 15, 2015}}</ref>

Right out of college, Preaus purchased Mitchell [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]], the company dealership in Farmerville, which also sold Mercury [[automobile]]s. In 1946, he opened a new building for the company, and his brother, Harry Preaus, Jr. (1915-1998), joined him as a partner. After their retirements, Joe and John Preaus took over the company.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u6tICgUupecC&pg=PA19&lpg=PA19&dq=Fred+Preaus+of+Farmerville&source=bl&ots=9FRdE_n5l-&sig=DT4aRxCoARANwf2M74zA6LlFxQQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=EebgVJ6TCca1ggS-84GoDQ&ved=0CDwQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=Fred%20Preaus%20of%20Farmerville&f=false|title=Union Parish|page=19|author=W. Gene Barron|date=2012|publisher=Arcadia Publishing Company|location=[[Charleston]], [[South Carolina]]|isbn=978-0-7-3859167-4|accessdate=February 15, 2015}}</ref>

Preaus was elected to the five-member Farmerville Town Council in 1949<ref>{{cite web|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/us/louisiana/monroe/monroe-morning-world/1949/03-13/page-21|publisher=''The Monroe Morning World''|title=Candidates file in Farmerville|page=21|date=March 13, 1949|accessdate=February 15, 2015}}</ref> and was active in the [[Chamber of Commerce]]. In 1952, incoming [[Governor]] [[Robert F. Kennon]] appointed Preaus as the state highway director.<ref name=mhwr/> Preaus worked to make Lake D'Arbonne in Farmerville a reality. Popular with fisherman and boaters, the waterway opened in 1963.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lakedarbonnelife.com/2013/01/18/in-the-beginning/|title=In the Beginning|publisher=''Lake D'Arbonne Life''|date=January 18, 2013|accessdate=February 14, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bab.stparchive.com/Archive/BAB/BAB11072013P05.php|title=Lake D'Arbonne Celebrating 50th Year|publisher=''The Bernice Banner''|location=Bernice, Louisiana|date=November 7, 2013|page=5|author=Kinny Haddox|accessdate=February 15, 2015}}</ref> In 1947, Preaus was president of the Union Parish Fair.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nQwEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT69&lpg=PT69&dq=Fred+T.+Preaus+of+Farmerville,+LA&source=bl&ots=rJw5aXf2KD&sig=Yn-MunAShn5MO-KYqED0LZ1PR7k&hl=en&sa=X&ei=NQXhVMXbEMyXNs6OgcAG&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAzge#v=onepage&q=Fred%20T.%20Preaus%20of%20Farmerville%2C%20LA&f=false|title=''Billboard''|date=May 31, 1947|page=70|publisher=Nelson Business Media|accessdate=February 15, 2015}}</ref>​

Preaus was elected to the five-member Farmerville Town Council in 1949<ref>{{cite web|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/us/louisiana/monroe/monroe-morning-world/1949/03-13/page-21|publisher=''[[Monroe News Star|The Monroe Morning World]]''|title=Candidates file in Farmerville|page=21|date=March 13, 1949|accessdate=February 15, 2015}}</ref> and was active in the [[Chamber of Commerce]]. In 1952, incoming [[Governor]] [[Robert F. Kennon]] appointed Preaus as the state highway director.<ref name=mhwr/> Preaus worked to make Lake D'Arbonne in Farmerville a reality. Popular with fisherman and boaters, the waterway opened in 1963.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lakedarbonnelife.com/2013/01/18/in-the-beginning/|title=In the Beginning|publisher=''Lake D'Arbonne Life''|date=January 18, 2013|accessdate=February 14, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bab.stparchive.com/Archive/BAB/BAB11072013P05.php|title=Lake D'Arbonne Celebrating 50th Year|publisher=''The Bernice Banner''|location=Bernice, Louisiana|date=November 7, 2013|page=5|author=Kinny Haddox|accessdate=February 15, 2015}}</ref> In 1947, Preaus was president of the Union Parish Fair.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nQwEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT69&lpg=PT69&dq=Fred+T.+Preaus+of+Farmerville,+LA&source=bl&ots=rJw5aXf2KD&sig=Yn-MunAShn5MO-KYqED0LZ1PR7k&hl=en&sa=X&ei=NQXhVMXbEMyXNs6OgcAG&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAzge#v=onepage&q=Fred%20T.%20Preaus%20of%20Farmerville%2C%20LA&f=false|title=''Billboard''|date=May 31, 1947|page=70|publisher=Nelson Business Media|accessdate=February 15, 2015}}</ref>​

Preaus was also engaged in the timber business. Preaus and J. A. Auger (1911–2010), an inductee of the Loggers Hall of Fame,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thepineywoods.com/HallFameSep12.htm|title=Loggers Hall of Fame Sept. 14: Dodson museum underway for Hall, and regional history|author=Tom Kelly|publisher=''The Piney Woods Journal''|accessdate=February 15, 2015}}</ref> together developed the first chip mill in Farmerville.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fgazette.com/news.php?id=1169|title=Mary Nash-Wood, "Augers Leave Behind Rich Legacy"|publisher=''Farmerville Gazette''|date=February 3, 2010|accessdate=September 5, 2010}}</ref>

Preaus was also engaged in the timber business. Preaus and J. A. Auger (1911–2010), an inductee of the Loggers Hall of Fame,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thepineywoods.com/HallFameSep12.htm|title=Loggers Hall of Fame Sept. 14: Dodson museum underway for Hall, and regional history|author=Tom Kelly|publisher=''The Piney Woods Journal''|accessdate=February 15, 2015}}</ref> together developed the first chip mill in Farmerville.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fgazette.com/news.php?id=1169|title=Mary Nash-Wood, "Augers Leave Behind Rich Legacy"|publisher=''Farmerville Gazette''|date=February 3, 2010|accessdate=September 5, 2010}}</ref>