Irénée du Pont
Encyclopedia
Irénée du Pont was a U.S. businessman, former president of the DuPont
company and head of the Du Pont trust.
, he graduated from Andover in 1894 and MIT in 1897, then worked for Fenn’s Manufacturing Contracting Company for a number of years before he joined DuPont. While at MIT, he was a member of the Phi Beta Epsilon
fraternity, where he was one of the first brothers, contributing over $4,000,000 to the fraternity throughout his lifetime. He was president of DuPont from 1919 to 1925 and remained on the board until he retired in 1958. Smedley Butler speculated to a congressional committee that DuPont may have been supportive of the possible Business Plot
to overthrow President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
In 1957 Fortune
estimated his wealth at between $200 million and $400 million, making him one of the two richest members of the Du Pont family
at that time, and one of the twenty richest Americans (see Wealthiest Americans (1957)
).
He built a mansion in Varadero
, Cuba
, which he named Xanadu
.
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...
company and head of the Du Pont trust.
Biography
A descendant of Eleuthère Irénée du PontEleuthère 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...
, he graduated from Andover in 1894 and MIT in 1897, then worked for Fenn’s Manufacturing Contracting Company for a number of years before he joined DuPont. While at MIT, he was a member of the Phi Beta Epsilon
Phi Beta Epsilon
Phi Beta Epsilon , or "PBE" for short, was founded April 1, 1890 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology .A local fraternity, it is located at 400 Memorial Drive in Cambridge, MA. Phi Beta Epsilon is one of MIT's largest and most diverse living groups. Notable alumni include Irénée du Pont, Al...
fraternity, where he was one of the first brothers, contributing over $4,000,000 to the fraternity throughout his lifetime. He was president of DuPont from 1919 to 1925 and remained on the board until he retired in 1958. Smedley Butler speculated to a congressional committee that DuPont may have been supportive of the possible Business Plot
Business Plot
The Business Plot was an alleged political conspiracy in 1933. Retired Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler claimed that wealthy businessmen were plotting to create a fascist veterans' organization and use it in a coup d’état to overthrow United States President Franklin D...
to overthrow President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
In 1957 Fortune
Fortune (magazine)
Fortune is a global business magazine published by Time Inc. Founded by Henry Luce in 1930, the publishing business, consisting of Time, Life, Fortune, and Sports Illustrated, grew to become Time Warner. In turn, AOL grew as it acquired Time Warner in 2000 when Time Warner was the world's largest...
estimated his wealth at between $200 million and $400 million, making him one of the two richest members of the Du Pont family
Du Pont family
The Du Pont family is an American family descended from Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours . The son of a Paris watchmaker and a member of a Burgundian noble family, he and his sons, Victor Marie du Pont and Eleuthère Irénée du Pont, emigrated to the United States in 1800 and used the resources of...
at that time, and one of the twenty richest Americans (see Wealthiest Americans (1957)
Wealthiest Americans (1957)
In 1957 Fortune magazine developed a list of the seventy-six wealthiest Americans; the list was republished in many American newspapers. The primary source of wealth was indicated as being inherited or stemming from a particular business or industry...
).
He built a mansion in Varadero
Varadero
Varadero is a resort town in the province of Matanzas, Cuba, and one of the largest resort areas in the Caribbean. Varadero is also called Playa Azul, which means "blue beach" in Spanish.-Geography:...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, which he named Xanadu
Xanadu
-Description of Xanadu by Toghon Temur :The lament of Toghon Temur Khan , concerning the loss of Daidu and Heibun Shanduu in 1368, is recorded in many Mongolian historical chronicles...
.