Charles I. du Pont
Encyclopedia
Charles Irénée du Pont was an American
manufacturer and politician
. He was the owner of the Du Pont, Bauday & Co. wool manufacturers, a nephew of Eleuthère Irénée du Pont
, the founder of the E.I. duPont de Nemours Company, and a member of the Delaware General Assembly
.
, South Carolina
, son of Victor Marie du Pont de Nemours and Gabrielle Joséphine de la Fite de Pelleport. He lived with his parents in New York until they established themselves in the wool manufacturing business at Louviers, across the Brandywine Creek from the DuPont
powder mills and near Greenville
, Delaware
. He was educated at Mount Airy seminary, Germantown
, Pennsylvania
and married Dorcas Montgomery Van Dyke in 1824. They had one son, Victor. After her death, he married Anne Ridgely and had two children, Amelia (who married her cousin Eugene du Pont) and Henry Ridgely du Pont.
, Delaware
. On his father's death in 1827 he became the head of the company. He retired from the business in 1856. He was one of the organizers of the Delaware
Railroad and President of the Farmers' Bank of Delaware
.
Du Pont was a member of the Whig Party
, who served in the State Senate
from New Castle County
during the 1841/42 and 1843/44 sessions and then again in the 1853/54 and 1855/56 sessions.
, Delaware
, and is buried in the Du Pont family cemetery at Winterthur, near Greenville
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
manufacturer and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He was the owner of the Du Pont, Bauday & Co. wool manufacturers, a nephew of Eleuthère Irénée du Pont
Eleuthère Irénée du Pont
Éleuthère Irénée du Pont de Nemours , known as Irénée du Pont, or E.I. du Pont, was a French-born Huguenot chemist and industrialist who immigrated to the United States in 1799 and founded the gunpowder manufacturer, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company...
, the founder of the E.I. duPont de Nemours Company, and a member of the Delaware General Assembly
Delaware General Assembly
The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...
.
Early life and family
Du Pont was born March 29, 1797 in CharlestonCharleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, son of Victor Marie du Pont de Nemours and Gabrielle Joséphine de la Fite de Pelleport. He lived with his parents in New York until they established themselves in the wool manufacturing business at Louviers, across the Brandywine Creek from the DuPont
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
powder mills and near Greenville
Greenville, Delaware
Greenville is a census-designated place in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 2,326 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Greenville is located at ....
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
. He was educated at Mount Airy seminary, Germantown
Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Germantown is a neighborhood in the northwest section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, about 7–8 miles northwest from the center of the city...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and married Dorcas Montgomery Van Dyke in 1824. They had one son, Victor. After her death, he married Anne Ridgely and had two children, Amelia (who married her cousin Eugene du Pont) and Henry Ridgely du Pont.
Professional career
Du Pont worked with his father in the Du Pont, Bauday & Co., manufactures of cloth at Louviers, near GreenvilleGreenville, Delaware
Greenville is a census-designated place in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 2,326 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Greenville is located at ....
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
. On his father's death in 1827 he became the head of the company. He retired from the business in 1856. He was one of the organizers of the Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
Railroad and President of the Farmers' Bank of Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
.
Du Pont was a member of the Whig Party
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
, who served in the State Senate
Delaware Senate
The Delaware Senate is the upper house of the Delaware General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Delaware. It is composed of 21 Senators, each of whom is elected to a four-year term, except when reapportionment occurs, at which time Senators may be elected to a two-year term....
from New Castle County
New Castle County, Delaware
New Castle County is the northernmost of the three counties of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of 2010 its population was 538,479, an increase of 7.6% over the previous decade. The county seat is Wilmington. The center of population of Delaware is located in New Castle County, in the town of...
during the 1841/42 and 1843/44 sessions and then again in the 1853/54 and 1855/56 sessions.
Death and legacy
Du Pont died January 31, 1869 at Louviers, near GreenvilleGreenville, Delaware
Greenville is a census-designated place in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 2,326 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Greenville is located at ....
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, and is buried in the Du Pont family cemetery at Winterthur, near Greenville
Greenville, Delaware
Greenville is a census-designated place in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 2,326 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Greenville is located at ....
.
External links
- University of Delaware Library 181 South College Ave., Newark, Delaware (302) 831-2965.
- Delaware Historical SocietyDelaware Historical SocietyThe Delaware Historical Society began in 1864 as an effort to preserve documents from the Civil War. Since then, it has expanded into a state-wide historical institution with several venues and a major museum in Wilmington and the historic Read House & Gardens in New Castle.The society...
website 505 Market St., Wilmington, Delaware (302) 655-7161. - Hagley Museum and LibraryHagley Museum and LibraryThe Hagley Museum and Library is a nonprofit educational institution located in Wilmington, Delaware. Hagley Museum and Library collects, preserves and interprets the history of American enterprise.- Hagley Library :...
website Barley Mill Road, Wilmington, Delaware (302) 658-2400.